product design: water butt - improvements?

I am a recent product design graduate from Northumbria University in Newcastle Upon Tyne. After completing my major project on water saving in the home it became apparent to me that there was room for development of the water butt (even with recent flood events!) which is why I am using my own time to develop the product further.

I have been working with Waterwise, a national government organisation (waterwise.org.uk), and several water companies during my major project and they are interested in any concepts that I maybe able to develop. I have two small questionnaires below; one for house owners that own water butts and one for those that don�t. I would really appreciate anyone that can help me with this project. You can see a little bit about me at http://www.dfi-graduates-07.co.uk/ and go to Richard Dale.

Kind regards

water butt owners - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=D_2fCdDo9ZS7EismuVeOvmww_3d_3d
non-waterbutt owners - http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=v_2f_2fVwjQ0Uc17qFqQ5kVyrA_3d_3d

p.s. incidentally i now know a lot about water butts, so any other questions relating to them i would be happy to answer.

 

Happy to oblige Richard.
Good luck.

 

Done it, good luck with the project.

 

Done Rich.

 

happy to oblige :D

 

I love the wall mounted one! As there's a pic, I presume they are on sale currently? We have the tiniest garden and that would be great!

 

There you go. Done.

 

i will do some free marketing for them: their link is http://www.waterbutt.co.uk/index.html. however it is the only one that exists.

a few people have commented about the smell of their waterbutt. one of the concepts i am developing involves a filter, which would work in a similar way to a filter in a kettle. i will be posting links to concepts on flickr for feedback. thankyou to one and all for filling in the questionnaires, but keep them coming!

cheers

 

Done and good luck Richard.
Helen.xxx.

 

Err. I tried that link but all I got was a site telling me how to do surveys. What did I do wrong?

 

I really don't know why it didnt work. i tried the links out on safari, internet explorer and firefox and they all work at my end. alternatively you could just put any improvements/comments that you have about waterbutts on this page.

 

It's probably me. I'm useless on these things :(

 

I've only seen round waterbutts. How about ones of different shapes. Maybe ones that would fit in a corner?

 

yes most are round or rounded because they are easier and cheaper to manufacture than square ones. however i personally think they do look quite out of place so what im looking at is to blend them more into the shape/style of the house. wayne hemingway has designed a water butt in the shape of a 'butt' which is suppose to appeal to people's humour, but i really dont think people would actually want it in their homes.
http://www.waterbutts.com/waterbuttbutt.htm
http://www.waterbutt.co.uk/