How to achieve the best water butt setup with Freeflush

There has never been a better time to consider a water butt! With rising utility prices and drought bans becoming a regular occurrence, it makes perfect sense to collect precious rainwater and use it in the garden. Rainwater is a great resource of soft chlorine-free water which plants love. 

In this article, Freeflush explore the technical considerations of water butts to ensure they are used to maximum effect with Freeflush Water Management.

The first consideration is usually the size of the tank required. In many cases, the size of tank is limited by the space available. A range of slim water butts are now available which maximize storage for a limited footprint. The 800l pillar is a great example of large storage offered on a small footprint.

Another consideration of tank size is how many days’ drought protection is required. In 2018, the UK experienced 40 days without rainfall, so if 15 litres are used per day (3 watering cans’ worth) then 600 litres capacity would be required for 40 days’ drought protection. 

You’ll also need to consider how to connect the tank to the downpipe. The most effective way to capture rainfall is to direct the downpipe directly into the tank. This should always be done with a leaf catcher to ensure organic debris entry is limited. In this set up, a separate overflow will be required to ensure excess flows are managed. The overflow can be directed to drain, to another water butt or a bed which will readily absorb the excess water.

An alternative method for capturing rainwater is to use a diverter. The key considerations with diverters are whether they can filter debris, and whether they have the ability to capture high storm intensities. The 3P Filter diverter is an excellent choice, offering great filtration and high capture efficiency. 

Some water butts incorporate the diverter into the water butt. The Prestige water butt is a great example of this innovative style of integrated diverter.

Once you’ve collected your rainwater, you’ll want to be able to discharge it via the outlet. The outlet from a rainwater butt is typically a tap on or near the base of the tank. These can be plastic, though brass taps offer a more robust long-term solution. Brass taps are available as standard bib type taps or lever taps; lever taps allow the tap to be quickly flicked open without multiple turns of a handle. The outlet of the tap can be connected to a standard hose using snap lock connectors, allowing low pressure irrigation systems to be fed.

Finally, water butts do require some maintenance – this is best done in February or March. The majority of water butts have a sump draw down point and a top access point. Open the tank and bottom draw down, pop a hose in the top, swill the water round and allow the accumulated sediment to discharge. The water butt can be kept fresh by reducing leaves and organic matter entering using a filter or leaf catcher as described above and by dropping an antimicrobial disc into the tank.