Alternative sewage

The first day or rain this month. The PV has been churning out electricity like mad, we haven't had to use the central heating boiler once and have produced as much electricity as in the whole of March. The battery now gets us through 24 hours without using any bought electricity and we have "sold" over 250kWh.

But not today!

It has to be said nature was in desperate need of the rain and I suspect spring will make a big leap forward in the coming week, again forecast to be dry and warm.

On the evening dog walk, noticed our next door neighbour has cleaned out their house sewage "unit". While we have a mechanical system supported by a compressor and expensive hard and software, they went for a mechanical system that relies on gravity and plants. They have a garden sloping away from the house and towards the nearby stream.

Wastewater goes first to a tank where the solids settle and then flows into a pond that is full of certain water plants that get to work on cleaning the water. I don't know what rules and regulations they are subject to clearing the plants but think all the controls are the same.

Some may have seen my blip a week or two ago of our twice a year check being carried out. Tomorrow the independent checker (similar to a car's MOT test) comes to make sure our maintenance firm has done all the checks properly and that the unit is in good shape.

Annoys me a bit that one needs two levels of the check, rather than simply ensure the first check is carried out by trustworthy certified people. However, at least it should ensure the safety of our environment for wildlife and humans.

Our village amphibian rescue team were quite by chance on the car radio when I was driving out for the walk. Seemingly modern agriculture is really hitting back on numbers. Where just a few years ago they were regularly helping 5,000 to 7,000 toads & frogs to cross the local road, the last few years it has only been around 2,000.