For sprinklers”
I EXPECT I won’t be the first person to comment on this. On your front cover (AG, 11 July) you headline ‘smart ways to use and save water’ and then, in the same breath, you are testing six water sprinklers! Come on, all – we are in a world where we need to save water, not encourage people to use lawn sprinklers when lawns can do without and will always recover from dry spells. Yours, concerned.
David Williams via email Editor Garry replies:
I do not think we’re being contradictory — they are two separate articles. One is about water conservation and the other is about the best sprinkler system for those who feel their crops need a regular supply. Those who do choose to use a sprinkler may still conserve water in other ways.
I WAS quite surprised to see you recommending using sprinklers only in early morning or evening in your water shortage feature (AG, 8 August). Other than in some commercial settings, there should be no need for gardeners to use them at all. Using deep mulch and as much saved water as possible should be enough for most gardeners.
We have nine water butts around our small bungalow, save the cold water from the shower before it heats up, and stand in a separate tray in the shower to save the water for garden and toilet use. The teapot dregs go on the acid-lovers, and any hand-washing water on to the rhubarb and beans.
The water companies must do more to reduce leakage, but we all have to do our bit not only to reduce our usage (and therefore our bills) but also to make the most of the water we do use.
Jane Jennings, Dursley, Glos