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Water butt water lifespan

alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
in Tools and techniques
Is there a length of time that stored water has to be used by?
I wondered if stagnant water causes any problems after a while. 
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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,933
    There's no Use By date :)
    The gunge at the bottom is great for plants too.
    Obviously if it stinks you may not want to use it, but in all the many years I've had water butts, I've never had smelly butt water.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,038
    Pete.8 said:
    I've never had smelly butt water.
    Glad to hear it, Pete. I'd ring the quacks if you do develop it in the future ;)
    East Lancs
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    @Biglad 😂😂
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,083
    The only problem I can recall with my water butts was mosquito larva swimming in it. I used to leave a bowl of water out for the cat each day with water from the butt until I noticed something swimming in the water . Only fresh water for cat now as I don't want any vets bills, in fact I don't want the cat either , but that's another story.....

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • FireFire Posts: 17,348
    Rain water is fine. "Grey water" from the house, not fine to store even for a short time.
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    Thanks @Fire
    Water is obviously on a lot of people's mind at present and I just wanted to make sure that if I bought more butt's it wouldn't be a wasted effort if the water needed to be used within a certain time. 
    Excellent info re grey water. Hadn't even thought about that 👍
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 86,088
    Don't swoosh an injured hand around in the water butt tho', no matter how clean it looks ... ask @Hostafan1 😱

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • EmptyheadtimeEmptyheadtime Posts: 305
    I remember I took a notion and emptied my water butt a few years ago to clean it out. There were 4 dead mice and many other things in the bottom. Extra nutrients I guess!
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    @Dovefromabove - that sounds intriguing. 
    I hope @Hostafan1 responds.
  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    @Emptyheadtime - unfortunately there is no option other than the like button. 
    A gross button would have been ideal in this situation. 
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