Oppressive

The almost nightly thunderstorms continue but luckily have generally been quite kind, simply watering the garden and filling up the rainwater tanks and barrels we have dotted around.

I don't think it is a legal requirement for new house builds but many have underground rainwater tanks that supply all the WCs and also water for the washing machines. I guess they have more than a rudimentary leaf filter though. I understand the water though leads to great "soft to the touch"  results and allows the use of less washing powder.

Apparently, tap water is very expensive in Germany, four times that in the USA. Seems weird but on the other hand, they say it is the best controlled of all "foodstuffs" and the quality is almost always better than purchased bottled water.

The costs within Germany are also very different as each parish is responsible for determining the charges as they are also responsible for the infrastructure and the source of the water. And one has to add the cost of sewage to the calculation. For each litre of water consumed (all on meters), you have to pay a sewage charge and that includes water you use to water the garden.

As a result water consumption keeps falling which leads to the sewage pipes not getting sufficiently "flushed", requiring more maintenance and thus higher water charges. Seems like one of the very few sensible reasons for increased costs.

We pay €0.00625 (i.e. just over half a cent) for a litre of water. As we are not on mains sewage I don't know what the charge is but think it could be up to 10 times the cost. Not sure if I ever finished a Blip story whereby farmers or indeed even hobby animal owners get an allowance for each animal - a horse or cow, for instance, doesn't have to pay for 30,000 litres of sewage a year. I think you need 12,500 hens to get the equivalent allowance whereas 5 pigs weighing over 75kg each, get it.

This evening the thunderstorms were threatening and despite the unbearable humidity, was thrilled that Flash managed to do a reasonable good walk in Ottobeuren for a small section of our so-called "Schickling" walk. He managed to get to what we call the beach on the river "West Günz" and even dipped his toes in for a few moments while he took a drink. Luna did the full swim bit and is here looking at Flash who moments before had been holding a pencil size stick in his mouth. Because he pants so much he can't hold a stick for long but we have to go through the routine of giving him one so that he can prove he is still the "Blitz" stick chaser he once was.