Seeing what's possible

Pictured L-R: Caroline, John Cornick (Ecoteric Project Manager & Engineer), Martyn Coblenz (Housekeeping Committee) and the Church Minister, Reverend Linda Francis. 

The end of an extensive dry spell here in Brighton coincided with, appropriately, a visit to a rainwater harvesting project at the Methodist Church on Stanford Avenue.

The project is an inspiring example of what can be done to make better use of resources.

It will collect and use rainwater to flush all the toilets in the building, cutting back on the Church's use of freshwater and cutting the cost of water bills.

The Church estimates that the system will provide mains water savings of between 50% and 80%.

Installation is being carried out by a Sussex-based company and I'm delighted that the project also makes a real contribution to the local economy.

Water is an essential resource that is becoming increasingly scarce, especially in the south east. 

That is why I want to see the Government doing much more to require and support the use of rain water harvesting in all new homes, and will continue to press ministers on this issue.

For project updates and other news from Stanford Avenue Methodist Church - which is also Brighton's first ‘Eco Congregation' - see http://bit.ly/t2pSkA.