A hidden rainwater harvesting tank which lay dormant under Falmouth’s Princess Pavilion for years has been restored and is now back in use, thanks to support from South West Water.
The 3,000 litre tank had been disconnected before Falmouth Town Council took over the operation and management of the site in 2021.
It lay forgotten for years until Karen Hall, Special Projects Officer at Falmouth Town Council, was asked to look into reports of an old tank beneath the Pavilion’s lawns.
“We had very few records of the tank, so finding the original plans was extremely helpful,” Karen said. “Once I had those, I was able to contact the company that originally installed the system, which helped us identify what was needed to restore it and bring it back into use.”
After solving the mystery of the tank’s location, Falmouth Town Council then created a plan to restore it so they could collect rainwater from the Pavilion’s veranda guttering to help flush the town’s public toilets and support garden irrigation.
To help to bring the tank back into commission, South West Water provided funding to the council through its WaterSaving Community Fund.
The fund supports community groups and registered non-profit organisations within South West Water’s service area who can provide a benefit to the community by saving tap water and demonstrating a reduction in water use.
Work to restore the tank was completed in January with the new and improved rainwater harvesting system expected to save up to 200,000 litres of mains water each year.
Harvey Noble, Water Efficiency Project Advisor at South West Water, said: “It’s been fantastic to support Falmouth Town Council with this initiative to bring this previously unused tank back into commission.
“Water-harvesting projects like this are so important. Capturing rainfall that would otherwise contribute to surface water runoff and using it for a new purpose like flushing toilets helps to ease pressure on our network and supports local communities like Falmouth.
“Our Water-Saving Community Fund is about helping local projects to thrive, and this project is a shining example of how water conservation can benefit the whole community.”
Karen Hall said: “It’s great to have this hidden piece of infrastructure working again and supporting a more sustainable approach to water use at the Pavilion. Thanks to South West Water’s funding, we’ll be saving hundreds of thousands of litres of mains water each year, which also helps cut the Pavilion’s overall environmental impact.
“We hope it will encourage visitors to the Princess Pavilion to think differently about how they use water at home too. We’re also planning to hold an event at the Pavilion for residents in the spring, to share practical tips on saving water in the home.”
Notes to editors
For more information about the Water Saving Community Fund
For more information about Falmouth Town Council and the Princess Pavilion