Saving our water for a rainy day

GIVEN the millions of cubic metres of rain that have fallen this summer, it can be difficult to get across the fact that water — no matter how plentiful it appears to be — is a precious resource.

Yet we waste it wantonly. Other countries don’t have enough water and that situation could come about here, especially as long periods of drought are being predicted for the future because of climate change.

There was a time in Ireland when every house had a barrel at the gable into which flowed rainwater from chutes. People sensibly used that water for non-drinking purposes. Today, the practice is called rainwater harvesting and people are being urged to take it on again.