Rain lover from Farndon helps the environment with contraption

Jan 28 2010 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

Rain lover from Farndon helps the environment with contraption

A RETIRED mechanical engineer has put his skills to good use for the sake of the environment.

Brian Hayward, 75, has created a novel contraption to harnesses the natural resource provided by the rain at his home on Quarry Hill, Farndon.

For the past two years, he has been on a one-man mission to save water and he hopes the device will inspire others to follow suit.

Mr Hayward said: “It’s something I did a couple of years ago. It’s a little conversion which could help a lot of people.

“I catch the water off the roof and put in an outside toilet used as a urinal.

“It saves water. It flushes the toilet and I’ve got a washing machine which goes through it too. I can collect it to wash cars.

“It’s dear to my heart, saving water.

“The washing machine pumps into the pipe.

“I’ve got a 250-gallon tank which virtually keeps topped up with the amount of rain we get in this country.”

After snow hit Chester two weeks ago, Mr Hayward made a makeshift snow plough to clear the pavements around his home and the pathways of a neighbouring retirement home.