Water butt question

Hi,

I installed a smallish water butt last year in my garden.
Obviously, over the winter it is now full to the brim.
Should I empty the water out that's in there (down the drains) and use fresh rainwater?
Should I get a waterbutt treatment from the local garden centre (I'm sure I've seen them there!)

thanx in advance

 

If you keep it dark and covered then I cant see a problem, or need to empty it.

As for water butt treatment,........I'd save my money if I were you.

 

You don't say where your water butt is located but ours is in the alley at the back of the house. We use the water butt all year long as we use it for house plants which thrive on it.

Like Pete wrote earlier, Water butt treatment sounds like a waste of money.

 

It's at the back of a single story extension next to a wall.
It is covered and mostly in the shade but the top, say 6 inches would have caught the sun.
Hope this sheds more light ;-)

 

So your water butt is pretty near to the house rather than on the allotment some where. Would you use it for house plants? My point is that if you're collecting water and are worried about stagnant water etc then using it on house plants is a good way to make use of it. Just a suggestion. After a history of living in flats, and water butt-less I'm now in a cottage and bought a water butt within the first month! It's been really nice to use rainwater on the 30 or so indoor plants around the house and of course on the outdoor garden.

 

Yeah, don't really have many houseplants, but do have lots of hungry outdoor plants just starting to wake up now.

Thanks for the advice Organopoico and Pete.