In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Mike and Karen speak with Dr Claire Houlihan from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Professor Alison Brown from the University of Manchester about their Ofwat-funded project, Enabling Water Smart Communities. They discuss what a "water smart community" really means, how new housing developments could better manage water, the challenges of water reuse, and why understanding why people use water matters more than just measuring how much.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 16/8/2024.

Timestamps:

• 01:52 – What is a water smart community?
• 03:48 – Interesting findings so far
• 04:33 – The challenge of water reuse
• 05:20 – Why social science research on water matters
• 06:59 – Why understanding people matters more than numbers

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Mike and Karen are joined by Lisa Craven, MD of Stormsaver, to talk about rainwater harvesting. She explains how the systems work, clears up common misconceptions about rainwater being dirty, and shares the impressive savings possible for both homes and businesses, plus practical tips for retrofitting older properties.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 2/8/2024.

Timestamps:

• 00:56 – What is rainwater harvesting?
• 02:25 – Is rainwater actually clean?
• 04:04 – Typical water savings at home
• 07:16 – Business appetite for reuse
• 10:21 – Retrofitting an older home

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Lia takes us on two walks with water in Wales to promote the Walking with Water campaign. She speaks with Tony Rees from South East Wales Rivers Trust about the Taff Trail, its industrial heritage and its links to local reservoirs, then with land artist Rebecca Wynne-Kelly in Aberarth about Welsh water folklore, slowing down in nature, and the fight for water justice.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 21/7/2023.

Timestamps:

• 00:39 – What is Walking with Water?
• 01:38 – Meeting Tony and the Taff Trail
• 04:21 – How reservoirs feed the river
• 07:42 – Meeting Rebecca in Aberarth
• 10:42 – The legend of the witch and the pool

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, producer Tom and Karen report live from Gardeners' World Live. They speak with Malcolm Moody from the Solihull and District Orchid Society about why orchids are water efficient and how to water them properly, then talk to Josh Fenton about his award-winning show garden, designed to demonstrate water-saving solutions like drought-tolerant planting and a composting toilet.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 19/7/2024.

Timestamps:

• 01:43 – Are orchids water efficient?
• 02:54 – Rainwater vs tap water for plants
• 04:34 – Malcolm's top water-saving tips
• 06:59 – Josh's water-saving show garden
• 09:33 – The eco toilet, the "Cuddy"

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Mike is joined by author and environmental journalist Tim Smedley to talk about his book The Last Drop. They discuss the world's most shocking water crises, from Jordan's disappearing groundwater to the drying up of Lake Mead in the western US, the pros and cons of desalination, and why personal water use still matters. Tim shares how he cut his own household's water use by more than half through simple changes.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 14/7/2023.

Timestamps:

• 01:37 – The world's most shocking water crises
• 03:07 – The drying up of Lake Mead
• 05:57 – Desalination: pros and cons
• 08:16 – Cutting personal water use
• 11:26 – Should water cost more?

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Cath and Karen are joined by Nicole McNabb and Nick Mills from Southern Water to talk about a trial using water butts and planters to cut storm overflows. They explain the difference between standard, slow-drain and smart water butts, share strong results from a trial on the Isle of Wight, and talk about the bigger picture: too much hard, non-permeable surface (like driveways) sending rainwater straight into the sewers.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 7/7/2023.

Timestamps:

• 01:11 – The problem: storm overflows and runoff
• 02:37 – Isle of Wight trial results
• 03:23 – Types of water butts explained
• 07:04 – Bigger roofs and planters
• 08:05 – Driveways and permeable surfaces

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Cath and Karen are joined by Dr Mark Gush from the RHS to talk about water-wise gardening. He shares simple tips like letting your lawn grow longer to build deeper roots, watering in the morning to cut evaporation, and using mulch to lock moisture into the soil. He also points listeners to the RHS "Mains to Rains" pledge website for more ways to save water in the garden.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 23/6/2023.

Timestamps:

• 01:42 – RHS's Mains to Rains pledges
• 04:16 – RHS's own water-saving changes
• 05:04 – Longer lawns, deeper roots
• 08:04 – Best time to water
• 09:11 – Why mulch works so well

In this episode of Waterfall Rapids, Mike and Cath explain why the water pressure drops or the water goes off when it's really hot. It's not because there isn't enough rain - there was plenty over winter and spring. The real problem is that when it's hot, everyone uses much more water at once, and the pipes and treatment works can't keep up. They talk about how companies can get ready for this, why saving water all year round helps, and why South East Water brought in a hosepipe ban - not because of drought, but because their network couldn't cope with demand.

The full length edition of this episode was originally released on 30/6/2023.

Timestamps:

• 00:48 – Is it because of not enough rain? (No)
• 02:11 – Why it really happens: too much demand at once
• 02:41 – How companies can get ready
• 05:58 – Easy ways to use less water
• 07:47 – Saving water helps your community, not just the company
• 09:37 – South East Water's hosepipe ban explained