avoiding paying sewage fees when watering the garden

 

   I've looked at my recent water bills, and noticed that we pay about
2x as much for the sewage treatment as we pay for the water itself.
Sort of funny, considering that whenever I water the garden, fruit
trees, etc., none of this water ends up needing sewage treatment.

   I noticed that I have 2 downspouts at the south end of the house,
where I recently planted a hedge of 6 blueberry plants.  I'd like to
figure out a way so that I can use the downspout rainwater to water
these plants, so I don't have to do it often.

   I'm not sure that I have enough room to put in a rain barrel, but I
seem to remember seeing, years ago, some sort of flexible plastic thing
you could attach to a downspout.  It filled up with water, and expanded
as it filled up.  Then it slowly released the water over a day or two.

   I can't seem to remember what it was called, but I think something
like that might work really well here.  Anyone have any ideas?

 


http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/improvements/34448-downspout-drain.=
html

 


Check with your town/county water authority.  They may have an outside
watering meter that you can use.  In my town if you use water outside
that does not go into the sewage system they give/sell you a meter for
your outside faucet and once or twice a year they read that meter and
deduct the excess sewage charges.  Right now I've been getting "free"
water for the past couple months because they hadn't read mine for a
couple of years and we use a lot of outside water.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.