How to convince partner an IBC is required

[jansman]

Joking aside. My wife and me have a habit this time of year to sit under our cherry tree in the afternoon with a little drinkie,and catch up on the day. This afternoon we checked Monday’s delivery from our supermarket of choice. We ran through the list, the question was, “do we need this?” And it was yes or no. When I said no,I was asked “ Are you sure?”. That is the point. My wife gets it. Do we have enough?

When the pandemic hit,we were dealing with my dear wife’s illness. We were blinkered to the panic buying that happened. At the same time,we were running stocks down, as our last daughter had just left. It was an adventure,getting what we needed from our local sources- which we still use.It was a true prepping test!


My wife is on board. If I suggested we needed an IBC she would trust my judgment. If she suggested it,I would trust her!

[Rhymer]

I purchased a new black IBC last month to stick in the garden to provide back up water in the event of whatever happening.Nice knowing I have it there now but it wasnt cheap.

[jansman]

I purchased a new black IBC last month to stick in the garden to provide back up water in the event of whatever happening.Nice knowing I have it there now but it wasnt cheap.

Please introduce yourself in the new member section. Thanks.

[steptoe]

Hi all.

My partner is very reluctant and dismissive to the idea of any kind of 'prepping'. A year or 2 ago I disguised growing food as a fun little project we could do together and she went along with it, oblivious to the reasoning behind it. We've gone from a few little plants to 2 large raised beds (2m long x 1m wide) and loads of growing bags and pots. We have tonnes of potatos, onions, carrots, and also tomatos, leeks, rhubarb, strawberries and few other various bits on the go.

Last year (again it took some convincing) but I managed to convince her to let me fit a waterbutt for some rainwater collection. She's gone along with it but now with the garden growing to the size it has the waterbutt just isn't big enough especially with the dry weather currently, so I want to trade the waterbutt up for an IBC but once again she's not convinced by it.

Long story short, any tips on how to convince her or should I just do it while she's out one day

Well i can tell you we have large rasid beds and the bottom half of the gardne is rotovated over to open soil growing , we also have a 20ft x 10 ft polytunnel and well you would think what about water , we have a huge 1500 litre ex orange juice storage tank stood by the house as we have a built on garage and store room at the side of the house and the water all goes in to the tank in summer we still struggle for water and well the tank fills smaller water butts down the garden and i have now fitted a run off for winter time as we do not use it so much i fitted a pump to pump the water but at the very top i fitted a t piece in the upright postion so one points ot the sky one down i fitted a hose on that for the run off in winter as an overflow which now runs in to the canal at the bottom of the garden .

[jennyjj01]

... the water all goes in to the tank in summer we still struggle for water and well the tank fills smaller water butts down the garden and i have now fitted a run off for winter time as we do not use it so much i fitted a pump to pump the water but at the very top i fitted a t piece in the upright postion so one points ot the sky one down i fitted a hose on that for the run off in winter as an overflow which now runs in to the canal at the bottom of the garden .

You've discovered the harsh reality that you can have all the water butts and IBCs that you can find space, but unless the surface area of your roof is sufficient and the rainfall is sufficiaent, too, they are a bit useless.

Steptoe..... Can't you just pinch your water from the canal and plant crops where your water container is?

[jansman]

... the water all goes in to the tank in summer we still struggle for water and well the tank fills smaller water butts down the garden and i have now fitted a run off for winter time as we do not use it so much i fitted a pump to pump the water but at the very top i fitted a t piece in the upright postion so one points ot the sky one down i fitted a hose on that for the run off in winter as an overflow which now runs in to the canal at the bottom of the garden .

You've discovered the harsh reality that you can have all the water butts and IBCs that you can find space, but unless the surface area of your roof is sufficient and the rainfall is sufficiaent, too, they are a bit useless.

Steptoe..... Can't you just pinch your water from the canal and plant crops where your water container is?

You have to have an extraction license for that… Taking water from a canal can technically empty it as well!

The irrigation issues after this Summer have pushed me further towards perennial crops too. Mainly because I don’t want the work , even if it is just turning the irrigation on. Given hose bans too, I can see it getting common again.

[jennyjj01]

Steptoe..... Can't you just pinch your water from the canal and plant crops where your water container is?

You have to have an extraction license for that… Taking water from a canal can technically empty it as well!

I'd hope the 3 smileys made it obvious that I was not really advocating crime.
Didn't know it could be done legally, under license..
LOL at the thought of emptying a whole canal, surreptitiously watering some raised beds.

[steptoe]

Well on the note of taking water from it i don't need to well i haven't yet lol as i say the 1500 ltr orange juice tank and 4 of the 220ltr orange barrels keep us in water , the garage gives us far to much water at times and hence i had to run a hose down the garden and let it soak in to the soil but then i was talking to the water trust and they said letting water run off to the canal as long as it is not waste water is not and issue , but in saying that i also have a drain that runs fro mthe main road 2 roads over that is higher than us ,the drain by the traffic lights runs down under the gardens over the road from us then under our little road under my neighbours drive then crosses in to my garden and goes in to the canal when the rain is heavy it is like a fire hose spraying in to the canal .
Funny when we moved in the water board came knocking on my door and said hmm the last owner refused but would you allow us to dig up part of your back garden , i just looked and said is it going to cost me anything , they said no we need to replace the damaged main drain soak away from the main road it comes out in your garden the guys showed us where it was lol funny they had to dig out a pryacantha lol thorny as hell saved me removing it lol they also did it all kept all the soil on a sheet and then filled back in after never knew they did it lol .

But yes you must not remove water with out permission , but as far as i know they are ok with water run off as long as it is not waste water

[jansman]

Steptoe..... Can't you just pinch your water from the canal and plant crops where your water container is?

You have to have an extraction license for that… Taking water from a canal can technically empty it as well!

I'd hope the 3 smileys made it obvious that I was not really advocating crime.
Didn't know it could be done legally, under license..
LOL at the thought of emptying a whole canal, surreptitiously watering some raised beds.

The smiley faces didn’t work - but I have no sense of humour .

Anyone who draws from a water course HAS to be licenced .

Given our climate change,we have to think about our crops,be them agricultural or domestic. Again, that’s why perennials will be MY way forward. Water is for drinking.

[grenfell]

On the subject of taking the water out of the canal I remember years ago working in Stourport next to the canal. It had to be drained for repair work and when it was I was surprised just how little water there was in it. More mud than water.
I don't personally have an IBC but I do have 9 butts collecting off various roofs and a few more freestanding. Some are connected to each other. They are spread around the garden. As has been mentioned here and is pretty obvious anyway water is heavy stuff to lug around so concentrating it all in one place could be creating work for yourself.