I have two backgardens, on two levels - the lower garden decks onto a river (I own the land right to the water's edge), If I use the water, I.e. scoop a watercan up to water plants, am I stealing it from anyone??

I know its probably easier to just put the can under my tap, but I'm on a water meter and if I can use the river 'free' then I will.

Cheers
Matt

use it! its on your land and you are only using it to keep nature alive any way

Yeah use it by all means, I wouldn't recommend using it as a swimming pool though, could be a bit cold.

Someone might own the fishing rights but no one owns the water.... bit like saying I live on a beach can I go in the sea. :D

You do not have any "rights" to the water, but the Environment Agency are unlikely to persue you over an Abstraction License if you are just watering your flowers.

Check your deeds, but it should be ok to take the odd bucket of water now and again to water your garden plants, so long as you don't channel any of the water away from the river, or use a pump of any kind.

You could always get a water butt and collect water for the garden that way.

So, would I be pushing my luck/breaking any laws, if I (somehow, not sure how yet!), hosed my garden/lawn etc, in the summer from the river?

So, would I be pushing my luck/breaking any laws, if I (somehow, not sure how yet!), hosed my garden/lawn etc, in the summer from the river?

According to the papers you'll be lucky if there is still a river by the summer :D

According to the papers you'll be lucky if there is still a river by the summer :D

That radio controlled boat I've bought for my daughter's birthday next week will be no good then will it! (but who did I really buy it for...)

So, would I be pushing my luck/breaking any laws, if I (somehow, not sure how yet!), hosed my garden/lawn etc, in the summer from the river?
A hose pipe running from the river to water your garden may be classed as channelling. Not a good idea really.

A hose pipe running from the river to water your garden may be classed as channelling. Not a good idea really.

My parents do something similar every year up north and we've never had any problems. The Environment Agency turn a blind eye to it. It's not like it's a huge amount of water compared to the billions of litres flowing down the Tees to the sea ^_^

As the law stands anyone wishing to take water from a river or stream is required to apply for an Abstraction License from the Environment Agency.

In practice, exemptions are commonly granted for:

• abstraction for any purpose not exceeding 20 cubic metres per day;
• land drainage;
• the filling of vessels;
• abstraction exceeding 20 cubic metres per day to test for the presence,quantity or quality of water (with Environment Agency consent) inunderground strata;
• water used for fire fighting.

You would certainly fall into the first category and to put your mind at rest you could always call the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506

Thanks cgksheff, just been on their website and as you said, I dont need a license due to the minimal amount of water that would be used.

Does anyone know HOW I could send water up through a hosepipe to water the garden, will a standard pump do the job or do I need something very specific?

Dependant upon quantity required you could have stirrup pump with a length of hose required to draw from the river and a much shorter length to water the plants. No electricity used and a bit of excercise is always good.

I'm imagining thats some sort of peddle power - sounds good for immediate vacinity but rest of garden is somewhat 50 yards away, forgive me if I am incorrect. Unless you mean to pump into a bucket of somesort

That sort of exercise is already making me feel tired.

I dont mind an electric pump if there is one for the job.

Just found out from the wife what a stirrup pump is - sounds like a good idea (certainly cheaper than getting a plumber out to fit that DIY tap to the back wall of the house too!).

Will look into...

Cheers

If it's Barnsley river be careful for pollutants from the old mine workings. And then there are the chemicals from the crops to think of, or whatever the factories up river are pumping into the water. And then when the level is low you get that nasty algae stuff...

It'll be OK for your flowers but I wouldn't use it to water your lettuce.

Or you could get some water 'butts'. Or re-use your bath water or even the stuff out of the washing machine/dishwasher. People I know on water meters have to every trick going to save cash on watering their gardens. But again, not on the lettuce.

to be honest its the 'ease' of using the river water that attracts me, not necessarily the financial savings. The river is closer to my plants etc than my kitchen window and tap. So I think I'll pull the plug after a bath without a second thought. Plus my potential water savings from a bath would fail in comparision to the two shower cubicles used by my wife and daughter - you know women!!

Just found out from the wife what a stirrup pump is - sounds like a good idea (certainly cheaper than getting a plumber out to fit that DIY tap to the back wall of the house too!).

Will look into...

Cheers


No worries, pleased to help. My Grand father has a similar set up as his allotment was very close to the mill pond on his land and he used to get one of us to pump the water and another to water the veg. In hindsight we could have done it easier by having the stirrup pump on the allotment and moving it when needed.

Could you siphon water in the same way you can do it with petrol? Not that I'd recommend getting a gobful of Barnsley river water. Yeurch. :gag:

Or just get a regular hosepipe, you can't seem to get them any shorter than one mile long these days! :mad: