UK Heatwave & Drought 2026: Why Now Could Be the Perfect Time to Install a Water Butt
If you've been out in the garden recently, you'll probably have noticed just how dry everything has become.
Lawns are turning brown, flower pots need watering more often and vegetable plants seem to be asking for another drink every time you walk past them.
After such a prolonged dry spell, the last thing many of us are thinking about is rain. But with another spell of very hot weather expected across the UK, and drought conditions affecting parts of the country, it is a good time to think about how we can make better use of rainfall when it does arrive.
As reported by The Guardian on 10 August, temperatures could reach around 36°C during the latest UK heatwave, with the Met Office warning of further very hot weather.
You can read the full report here: The Guardian – UK temperatures and heatwave warning.
It might seem slightly strange to be talking about water butts in the middle of a heatwave.
Actually, this could be one of the best times to install one.
Why install a water butt during a dry summer?
A water butt isn't much use if you buy it after the rain has already fallen.
The idea is to have your rainwater collection system ready before the next rainfall arrives.
When rain eventually comes, instead of allowing all that water to run from your roof, through the gutters and down the drain, you can collect some of it and store it for later.
That stored rainwater can then be used around your garden during the next dry spell.
It's a simple idea, but one that makes a lot of sense.
Collect the rain when you have it. Save it for when you need it.
Your roof could be collecting hundreds of litres of rainwater
Most of us don't think about how much water actually lands on the roof of our homes.
Even a relatively modest amount of rainfall can produce a surprising amount of water when it is collected from a roof.
Your gutters are already doing the hard work of directing that water towards your downpipe. A rainwater harvesting system simply gives you the opportunity to capture some of it before it disappears into the drainage system.
This is why a water butt for your garden can be such a useful addition.
You aren't creating another source of water.
You're making better use of water that was already going to fall on your property.
What can you use collected rainwater for?
Rainwater is ideal for many everyday gardening jobs.
You can use your stored water to:
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Water flowers and borders
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Water vegetable plants and herbs
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Fill watering cans
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Water hanging baskets and containers
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Look after tomatoes and other home-grown crops
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Keep plants going during dry spells
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Water garden planters and beds
For anyone growing their own vegetables, having a supply of stored rainwater can be particularly useful.
And if you're gardening with children, there is something quite satisfying about filling the watering can with water you've collected yourself and seeing it go back into the garden.
A water butt can help reduce your reliance on mains water
During hot, dry weather, demand for water increases as more of us water gardens, fill paddling pools and generally use more water outdoors.
At the same time, prolonged periods without significant rainfall put additional pressure on water supplies.
That is why water companies can introduce restrictions during periods of drought.
Rules and restrictions vary around the UK, so it is always important to check the current position with your own water company.
But even when there isn't a hosepipe restriction, using rainwater for gardening is a sensible way to reduce the amount of treated mains water you need to use outdoors.
A water butt won't solve the UK's water shortage on its own.
But thousands of homes collecting and using rainwater can make a difference.
Why choose a Rainwater Terrace water butt?
Not every garden has room for a large traditional water butt.
That's one of the reasons we designed Rainwater Terrace differently.
Our modular water butt system is made from 67-litre modules that can be combined in different configurations, allowing you to choose a system that works for your garden.
You can use the modules vertically where space is limited, or create a wider system where you have more room.
Our range includes:
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134 litre water butt systems
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200 litre water butt systems
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268 litre double systems
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400 litre systems for larger rainwater storage
The modular design also means that you don't necessarily have to get everything exactly right on day one.
If you discover that you're using your stored rainwater quickly, you can increase your storage capacity.
Small garden? Start smaller.
Larger garden? Store more.
Need more capacity later? Expand your system.
It's rainwater harvesting designed to work around your garden.
Explore Rainwater Terrace Water Butts
More than just a garden water butt
We also wanted Rainwater Terrace to look at home in a garden.
Rather than hiding your water butt behind a shed, our modular systems can incorporate self-watering planters, giving you somewhere to grow flowers, herbs and vegetables as well as somewhere to store rainwater.
The planters use a capillary watering system to help draw water towards the plants, making them particularly useful during warm weather.
So your water butt doesn't just sit in the corner of the garden collecting water.
It can become part of your growing space.
Store rainwater. Grow plants. Water your garden.
See Rainwater Terrace Accessories
What size water butt do I need?
There's no single answer because every garden is different.
A smaller system may be perfectly suitable for a compact garden, patio or greenhouse, while a larger garden with a bigger roof area may benefit from more storage.
If you're unsure, think about:
How much space do you have?
A vertical modular system can make good use of a smaller footprint.
How much water do you use?
If you're regularly watering vegetables, hanging baskets and flower beds, you may find that additional storage is useful.
How large is the roof area you're collecting from?
The larger the collection area, the more rainwater you can potentially collect.
Could your needs change?
This is where the modular design of Rainwater Terrace can be particularly useful.
For example, our 200 litre water butt provides a substantial amount of storage while maintaining a relatively compact footprint.
View the 200 Litre Rainwater Terrace Water Butt
Don't wait until it rains
This is probably the biggest reason to install a water butt during a dry summer.
You don't need to wait for the weather to change.
Get your system installed, connect it to your downpipe and then forget about it until the rain arrives.
When the next proper downpour comes, your water butt will be ready.
And after weeks of looking at dry flower beds and brown lawns, it could be rather nice to know that some of that rainfall is going straight into storage for your garden.
The weather will always be unpredictable.
Your rainwater storage doesn't have to be.
Is a water butt a worthwhile investment?
For many gardeners, we think it is.
A good water butt can be used year after year, collecting rainfall whenever the weather provides it.
It can help reduce your reliance on mains water for garden watering, give you a useful supply of stored water during dry spells and make better use of rainfall that would otherwise run away through the drainage system.
And with a modular system such as Rainwater Terrace, you have the added flexibility of being able to increase your storage as your needs change.
It's a relatively simple change that can become part of your normal gardening routine.
Rain falls. You collect it. Your garden uses it.
Save 15% on Rainwater Terrace Water Butts this August
If you've been thinking about installing a water butt, August 2026 is a great time to get started.
We're currently offering 15% off Rainwater Terrace water butt kits for a limited time.
Use discount code: AUGUST15
Whether you're looking for a compact water butt for a smaller garden or a larger modular rainwater harvesting system, you can save 15% on your water butt kit.
And rather than waiting for the next rainy spell, you can get your system ready now.
SAVE 15% WITH CODE AUGUST15
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Make the Most of the Next Rainfall
After such a dry summer, it's easy to think that rain is the last thing we need to worry about.
But the next rainfall will come.
When it does, you'll have a choice.
You can let it disappear down the drain, or you can collect it and put it to good use in your garden.
A water butt is one of the simplest ways to start harvesting rainwater at home, and with 15% off Rainwater Terrace water butt kits this August, there's never been a better time to get ready.
Install it now. Collect the rain when it comes. Save it for your garden.