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For most gardeners who simply need rainwater for beds, containers or a lawn, start with a water butt connected to a downpipe. It is comparatively simple, inexpensive to fit and usually supplies water by gravity from a tap. Choose a larger rainwater-harvesting system when you need substantially more storage, pumped outdoor taps or a designed supply for non-potable indoor uses such as toilet flushing.
The decision is not just about tank size. Your intended use, dry-weather demand, roof area, local rainfall, available space, overflow route, installation budget and any English drainage requirements all matter. A butt will not guarantee water throughout a prolonged dry spell, and a household butt used only occasionally for garden watering should not be presented as a complete sustainable-drainage solution.
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The short decision
A water butt is the practical choice when the job is seasonal outdoor watering. A UK guide describes common domestic systems as a 100–250 litre plastic tank connected to an existing roof downpipe and fitted with a tap. A larger harvesting installation collects runoff in a bigger tank, often underground, and uses pumps and controls to deliver water where gravity cannot.
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Use this rule of thumb:
- Choose a water butt for watering plants, allotments, hanging baskets or washing outdoor items, where a tap beside the downpipe is sufficient.
- Consider a larger system when your garden demand exceeds a small tank, you need several remote taps, you want water delivered under pressure, or you are planning a properly designed non-potable supply for toilet flushing.
- Get specialist advice before connecting harvested water to internal plumbing, specifying an underground tank or pump, or designing a development-scale drainage scheme.
The Foundation for Water Research describes the simple arrangement in its Urban Rainwater Harvesting and Water Reuse guide. Government guidance on front gardens describes larger systems as potentially useful for pumped outdoor taps and toilet flushing, but also as expensive and difficult to retrofit.
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Water butt and rainwater-harvesting system compared
| Decision factor | Water butt | Larger rainwater-harvesting system |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job | Garden watering and similar outdoor use | More storage, pumped outdoor delivery or indoor non-potable use |
| Typical scale | 100–250 litres is the common range described for UK household systems | Capacity is selected from demand, rainfall, roof catchment and site constraints; no universal size is stated |
| Collection | Usually a diverter from one downpipe | May collect from several roof areas into a larger tank |
| Delivery | Tap and gravity; a watering can or short hose is normally used | Pump and controls may be required, especially for house supply or distant taps |
| Installation | Level, strong base; downpipe connection; secure overflow route | Potential excavation, tank access, pump, filtration or screening, overflow works and specialist design |
| Cost profile | Lower complexity; current retail prices vary | Higher equipment and installation cost; retrofitting can be difficult |
| Drainage claims | Garden-only use in dry periods does not automatically satisfy England’s development SuDS interception approach | May contribute when designed to the relevant standard and based on regular daily non-potable demand |
The distinctions above are drawn from the Foundation for Water Research guide, GOV.UK front-garden guidance, England’s national SuDS standards and the Environment Agency’s regulatory statement. They describe different design purposes, not a requirement for every household to install a formal engineered system.
Start with what the water is for
Garden watering only
A butt works well when you can carry or hose water from the collection point. Place it near the downpipe serving the roof area you want to use, and check that the tap is accessible. If your demand is modest, one tank may be enough; if you regularly empty it during dry weather, connecting additional storage or using a larger tank can be more useful than adding pumps.
Several outdoor taps or long hose runs
Distance and elevation change the practical answer. A butt’s gravity pressure may be too weak for a high or remote outlet. A larger tank with a suitable pump can provide controlled delivery, but the pump, electrical supply, controls, maintenance access and dry-run protection become part of the installation. Have the installer size the pump and pipework for the actual outlets rather than assuming a larger tank automatically supplies more pressure.
Toilet flushing or other indoor non-potable use
Indoor service requires separation from drinking-water plumbing, reliable treatment or screening appropriate to the use, overflow protection and compliance with applicable requirements. Government guidance identifies toilet flushing as a possible use for a larger system, not a reason to connect a small butt directly to a house. Ask a qualified designer or plumber to specify the tank, pump, backflow protection, labels and inspection access.
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Drinking and cooking
Do not treat collected roof water as potable. The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s technical guidance lists debris, animal droppings, roof metals and chemical residues as possible contaminants and says treatment is necessary for drinking and household uses beyond toilet flushing and laundry. That guidance is useful technical context, not UK law. The sources available here do not establish the complete UK requirements for potable rainwater or internal connections, so consult the relevant local authority and a qualified specialist before considering such a use.
How to size storage without guessing
There is no single “right” capacity. Size the system from the water you expect to use during dry periods, the roof area draining to the tank, local rainfall patterns, space and the consequences of overflow.
- List demand. Estimate how often you water beds, containers, greenhouse plants or lawns in a typical dry spell. Separate occasional watering from a regular daily demand such as toilet flushing.
- Identify catchment. Measure or obtain the roof area connected to the downpipe. A tank attached to a small shed will collect much less than one connected to a house roof.
- Check rainfall context. Historical averages illustrate potential, but they do not predict the next summer. A DEFRA article quoting Met Office data gives 195.8 mm as average summer rainfall in England and Wales for 1971–2000. It also illustrated nearly 640 litres potentially harvested from a 7 ft by 5 ft shed over that historical average. Treat both figures as examples from an older climate period, not guaranteed yield.
- Choose a useful volume. A 100–250 litre butt is a common starting range for household garden systems. A larger tank is justified when the smaller volume repeatedly runs out, when several roofs feed it, or when the water must be pumped to multiple outlets.
- Plan overflow before purchase. Excess water needs a safe route that will not undermine foundations, flood a path or discharge where it causes nuisance. Include access for inspection and cleaning.
New Zealand technical guidance discusses first-flush devices, screens, overflow arrangements and cleaning access. Those are sensible design considerations, but the document is not UK legislation. For a site-specific calculation, ask an installer to document the assumptions about rainfall, roof runoff, demand and overflow.
Installing a basic water butt
A straightforward installation can be planned in the following order. Follow the tank and diverter manufacturer’s instructions, because fittings and downpipe dimensions differ.
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- Select the location. Keep the tank close to the downpipe and near the area where water will be used. Leave enough room to operate the tap, remove the lid or access panel and inspect the interior.
- Build a suitable base. Water is heavy: a 200-litre tank holds roughly 200 litres of water before the container’s own weight is added. Set it on a firm, level, adequately supported base designed for the tank. Do not improvise a tall, unstable stand.
- Check the downpipe. Confirm its material, diameter and route. A compatible diverter normally sends runoff into the butt while allowing excess flow to continue through the downpipe when the tank is full.
- Fit the diverter and inlet. Mark the cutting height carefully, use the supplied seals and ensure the connection slopes or aligns as specified. Keep the lid or screen fitted so leaves and animals cannot enter.
- Connect the overflow. Direct overflow into a suitable drain, soakaway or planted area where permitted and safe. Keep it away from walls, paths and neighbouring property. Do not block the downpipe’s normal drainage function.
- Test with water. Check every joint for leaks, confirm that the tank fills and verify that excess water leaves through the planned route. Recheck the base after the first full filling.
- Use the tap safely. Keep a watering can or hose supported so the outlet is not strained. Empty or secure the tank before freezing conditions if the manufacturer requires it.
A stand can improve tap access, but it also raises the centre of gravity. The higher the tank, the more important a robust, level support and secure installation become.
Planning a larger harvesting installation
Above-ground or underground storage
An above-ground tank is easier to inspect and generally avoids excavation, but it occupies visible space and can warm in direct sun. An underground tank preserves surface space and can hold more water, yet excavation, access covers, structural loading, groundwater conditions and safe maintenance require proper design. The choice should follow the site and demand, not the promise that underground storage is automatically better.
Pump and controls
A house supply or distant garden outlet commonly needs a pump. The pump must be matched to flow, pressure, pipe length and the number of outlets that may operate together. Provide an accessible power supply, controls, isolation valves and a way to prevent the pump running dry. Ask the installer how the system behaves when the tank is empty and how mains backup, if any, is kept separate.
Screening and first flush
Roof surfaces carry leaves, grit and animal deposits. Screens help keep larger debris out; a first-flush arrangement can divert the initial runoff after a dry period. The appropriate equipment depends on roof material, catchment size and intended use. It is not a substitute for cleaning or for treatment where water is used indoors.
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Maintenance access
Design for inspection rather than burying every component. Plan how you will remove sediment, clean screens, inspect the overflow and service the pump. Keep records of filter changes and any disinfection or treatment specified by the installer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Costs, savings and payback
Current retail prices were not established in the evidence available for this article, so treat online prices as quotations that must be checked for the date, tank size, stand, diverter and delivery.
The Foundation for Water Research’s 2024 guide reports an older estimate of £30–£60 for a typical 200-litre butt, stand and fittings, or £50–£100 when installed by a builder or plumber. Those are historical figures, not current price promises. The same guide estimated household savings of £4–£8 a year and a payback of about seven years using historic water charges and consumption assumptions. Your tariff, meter status, rainfall, garden demand and the amount of mains water displaced can produce a different result.
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Larger systems add tank excavation or construction, pumps, controls, pipework, electrical work, overflow provision and ongoing maintenance. GOV.UK describes them as potentially expensive and difficult to retrofit. They may reduce mains-water demand and could reduce bills for a metered user, but savings are not guaranteed and should be calculated from your actual use.
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England: rainwater rules and sustainable drainage
Using harvested water
The Environment Agency’s rainwater-harvesting regulatory position statement, updated 28 January 2021, says an abstraction licence is not needed for qualifying harvested rainwater that remains isolated from inland surface water or groundwater and is used for irrigation rather than as a water supply, subject to the statement’s conditions. Combining harvested rainwater with specified other sources in a reservoir that discharges to inland waters can require an abstraction licence. The statement is valid until April 2029 and is subject to review, so check the current wording for your site.
Development-scale SuDS
England’s national standards for sustainable drainage systems distinguish between systems designed around regular daily non-potable demand and a butt used only for garden watering in dry periods. A harvesting system designed to BS EN 16941 and based on regular daily demand can count toward the stated interception approach. A garden butt does not automatically comply by itself unless it is designed to guarantee storage and calculations demonstrate that.
This is a standard for development drainage design, not a demand that every householder obtain a SuDS calculation before installing a small butt. It matters when a planning application, new development or drainage approval relies on rainwater storage to meet an interception requirement.
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- Unsafe base: A full raised tank can topple or damage paving if the support is weak or uneven.
- Bad overflow route: Water directed against a wall, foundation or slippery path can cause damage or injury.
- Blocked screens: Leaves reduce inflow and can cause water to escape at unintended points.
- Undersized storage: A small tank may fill quickly in wet weather and still be empty after several dry weeks.
- No isolation: Indoor systems need clear separation from drinking-water pipework and appropriate backflow protection.
- Unplanned pump failure: A pumped system should have an accessible shut-off, fault indication and a documented fallback when the tank is empty.
Water quality and household safety
Keep harvested water visibly labelled as non-potable. Do not use it for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth or filling a drinking-water appliance unless a qualified designer has specified treatment and the applicable requirements have been met. Roof coatings, flashing, bird droppings, insects, dust and stored chemicals can all affect water quality.
For ordinary garden watering, prevent children from climbing into an open tank, keep lids secure and avoid creating a breeding site for insects. Clean screens and remove accumulated sediment according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you use a hose, prevent its end from lying in a bucket or container that could allow back-siphonage into another water system.
Which option fits common garden situations?
| Situation | Most suitable starting point | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Small garden, one downpipe, watering cans | One water butt | Low installation complexity and gravity access meet the need |
| Several containers and a greenhouse that empty one butt quickly | Additional butts or a larger tank | Add storage before adding pump complexity |
| Remote tap, elevated beds or long hose run | Designed tank-and-pump system | Pressure and distribution, not just volume, are the constraint |
| Planned toilet flushing in a new or renovated property | Professionally designed harvesting system | Indoor plumbing separation, controls, treatment and compliance matter |
| Planning application relying on storage for SuDS | System designed to the relevant standard | An occasional garden-use butt is not automatically sufficient |
| Interest in drinking rainwater | Do not proceed without specialist design and regulatory checks | Untreated roof runoff is not established as potable |
A practical buying and installation checklist
- Measure the available footprint, access route and downpipe position.
- Confirm the tank’s capacity, dimensions, inlet and overflow fittings.
- Check that the stand and base are rated for a full tank.
- Verify diverter compatibility with the downpipe’s material and diameter.
- Decide where overflow will go before drilling or cutting.
- For pumps, obtain flow, pressure, power, noise and maintenance details in writing.
- For indoor use, ask for a pipework schematic showing separation from mains drinking water.
- Check local planning, building-control or drainage requirements where the installation forms part of a development.
- Keep all inspection covers and filters reachable after landscaping.
Bottom-line choice
Buy or install a water butt when your goal is straightforward garden watering and a nearby gravity tap will do the job. Move to a properly designed rainwater-harvesting system when storage, pressure, multiple outlets or indoor non-potable service justifies the extra cost and maintenance. Size from real demand and roof catchment, provide a safe overflow and treat all collected water as non-potable unless a qualified specialist designs and verifies a compliant treatment system.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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