Reader’s E-mail:
I have a house with a garden in a rural area near Kanchanaburi. Our house is not on the government water supply and we take our water from a mountain stream via a pipe. In February and March the water from the stream turns into a tickle and it is difficult to collect enough water for both the house and to water the garden. Our garden is on a slope with grass in the middle, and flower beds around the outside. Any ideas?
Reply from Thailand Info
The trick is to get as much out of the water supply you do have. Here are some ideas for you to try:
Small Rock Walls
Build small rock walls in the flower beds. This will slow the movement of water down the slope so that more is absorbed.
Bougainvillea
Plant Bougainvillea. They don’t need much water once they are established.
Rain Water Catchment
Set up a rain water catchment system by guttering your roof and feeding the down pipe into a water tank or water tanks. This is also a good emergency source of water for the house if you are desperate. Make sure you place netting over the top of the tank and leave a space between the end of the down pipe and the top of the tank. Rats love to go into water tanks if they left uncovered.
Grey water Recycling
Try grey water recycling. You can do this cheaply and gravity feed is your house is above the garden. You cut into the down pipe from the sinks (not the toilet) and collect the water in a small tank which then feeds the garden by a hose. This is OK for the grass but not vegetables as their may be toxins in the grey water.
