The word on everyone’s lips in Ireland this week is water. Last Wednesday, after months of bemoaning, dread and consternation, Irish citizens began being charged for their domestic water usage. With water meters being installed country wide, there is currently a capped charge for the first nine months, afterward each household will be charged on water usage, with special compensations for children per household, oh and of course, some reduced rates for our dear politicians who have a second house. Poor things, I suppose they will feel the pinch when washing their Rolls-Royces, so it’s only fair.

There has been a huge backlash from the Irish people in recent weeks, with many people engaging in protests outside their homes during the installation of meters and a number of people refusing to send their details to the Irish Water Company.

Many people are angry to be charged for what is considered a basic human right. While I do think the charge is just another in a long list of austerity measures forced upon us in recent years, I am tempted, every day, to point out that we are consuming treated water from state funded water sanitation sites but that doesn’t seem to be a very popular stance. That’s not to say I necessarily agree with the water charges or the manner in which they have been introduced, but I do think to claim our basic human rights are being breached is an almighty stretch of the imagination at best. Human beings were more than capable of finding water to survive long before modern plumbing was invented. There are a huge amount of ways to conserve water in the home and garden and I’m hoping that the one positive to these new charges it that it will make people more aware of their water usage.

Now, water is probably the most important resource to any gardener and with the new domestic water charges being introduced, I felt it might be of some help to share what I do know and what I have learned about water conservation in the past two years. I’m no expert but I have become hyper aware of environmental issues since I began to garden and I’ve picked up a few tips. If you are a gardener who wants some tips on how to prevent the water charges from having a disastrous effect on your garden, there are a number of ways to save water with very little effort and great reward.

Water Butts:

Water butts are perhaps the most common way to collect water in your garden. A water butt is a large container or barrel for collection rainwater, often connected to a run off pipe or guttering from your roof or shed. If you have a water butt collecting water from your roof, you can collect up to 24,000 litres a year, don’t forget, we live in a very wet, rainy country, we’d be mad to waste all the valuable rainwater. Water butts can be homemade if you have the resources, a large plastic barrel or tank will suffice and some piping to collect run off rain. Water butt kits can be bought in most garden centres or hardware shops and usually cost between €50 and €100 depending on the size. You can also get water butts from many local city and county councils for cheaper than in store so contact your local council to see what is available to you.

Grey Water:

Many gardeners and householders save what is know as grey water. This is the water left over from household cleaning such as dish-washing and washing machines, hand basins, baths and showers. You can do this by collecting the water with a bucket or you can install specific outlet pipes for your grey water to redirect it for use in your garden. Keep in mind, if you do plan to use grey water in your garden, make sure to use biodegradable soaps and detergents. I did a bit of research on this and when water meters were introduced in the UK, residents collecting and recycling their grey water cut their water bills by 5%.

Mulching:

The great thing about mulch is it keeps your soil from drying out and therefore, you will need less water. Make sure to use mulches in your garden, it helps to prevent water evaporating from your soil. Another trick is to use plastic sheeting on your soil and simply plant your plants in incisions in the plastic, this also prevents water evaporation.

Garden Watering Techniques:

Water is the giver of life in the garden, without it, out plants would not grow, however, a lot of us are very guilty of over watering our plants, not only is this a waste of water but it drowns the roots, inhibiting proper growth. When you do water your garden, do it early in the morning or in the evening, when the heat from the sun won’t dry out and evaporate your soil. Oh and please stop using sprinklers. Please. They’re just not necessary in Ireland. Other simple tricks like placing your potted plants in a bowl or saucer to catch the run off water can save a lot of water. You can also take a plastic bottle, cut off the end and place it in your pots, when you fill it with water, it will slowly drain into the pot at the roots, just where the plant needs it.

If any of my readers have some other water saving tips, please feel free to share them with me. And don’t panic fellow Irish citizens, if all else fails, you could simply leave your wellies outside, they’ll definitely fill up, it’s happened to me very time I’ve left them outside my shed. Every single time.