Communal garden watering

Cyrus

Hi all

we have a small estate and a large communal garden area, the plants need more regular watering than they are getting. We have no water source at either end of the estate (save over a residents wall).

Apparently installing outdoor communal taps would require half the road to be dug up even if we could do it.

Anyone have any clever ideas on what we could do? looking at rainwater harvesting but they all seem to be systems to connect to drains from a house.

Mango Joe

I'm no expert - But to get you started how about the below for a few ideas - I'm sure others will be along with refinements or a better plan.

1. IBC Container - You can buy food grade ones that never contained dangerous chemicals. They're bulky and ugly but you could consider partially burying one and/or cladding it in timber to disguise it - You could even grow clematis or virginia creeper etc over it. Still needs to be filled periodically but maybe a periodic fill every week might be manageable - May be preferable to whatever they're doing for water right now.

2. Rain-barrel submersible pump (You didn't mention if there was electricity available - Obviously this may be a major issue.....) hooked up to point #3.

2a. An IBC container raised in some manner may not require an electric pump - Realistically though it would need to be a fair height to have decent pressure so this might not be practical.

3. Soaker hose - You can run these through beds, planters or wherever else and they slowly ooze a small amount of water all day. 2 + 3 could be set up on a simple electrical timer to come on at some sensible interval to keep things adequately hydrated without draining the IBC too quickly.

Del2005

Could you plant drought resistant plants? Any water supply will still need people to water the plants, if the plants can withstand drought then they will look after themselves.

listermint

I'd go with Ibc idea above and some slow feed under soil pipes. You'd still have to feed the IBC with rainwater having no idea of your estate layout can't advise how to feed rainwater to it.

Mango Joe

You'd occasionally see IBC tanks on trailers - https://www.adverts.ie/trailers/water-ibc-tank-trailer/6824827



If you went this route then you could use a different type of pump that operates by using a feeder hose that could be fed into the tank after each refill.

PS You might clear up the electricity question when you can ?!

- I've no idea if one of those solar panels people buy for campers etc would power a water pump - One good point though is that in sunny weather when you need it most the electrical supply will be at optimal current !

Cyrus

Mango Joe wrote: »

You'd occasionally see IBC tanks on trailers - https://www.adverts.ie/trailers/water-ibc-tank-trailer/6824827



If you went this route then you could use a different type of pump that operates by using a feeder hose that could be fed into the tank after each refill.

PS You might clear up the electricity question when you can ?!

- I've no idea if one of those solar panels people buy for campers etc would power a water pump - One good point though is that in sunny weather when you need it most the electrical supply will be at optimal current !

unfortunately there isnt any existing power supply at the locations, now maybe thats easier solved than getting running water.

Also we would probably need some sort of rain water collection system as well.

There must be companies that specialise in this

Mango Joe

A rain collection system will require some sort of substantial surface area to work.

Most likely unless you've a roof or other large flat surface located at height over your point of collection then this is not going to happen.

Edit to add that you say this is a "large communal area" - These are hugely positive spaces and hopefully yours enjoys a bit of local support within the wider community.

You'd have a well drilled and pump fitted for around 2-3k - This is probably equal to one reasonably well supported fundraiser.

* Still need electricity to run the pump - AFAIK in rural group water schemes the well and pump usually end up in one of the houses gardens and the community collects some small amount of money to pay for any annual maintenance (if required) and the electricity costs to compensate the homeowner who is paying for this as part of their own household electricity bill.