A FLUID FLAG

In MOTHER NO. 63 (page 134), T .J. Byers described how he rigged up an electrical circuit between his water tank and his home so he'd know—at a glance—just how much water he had in his storage tank.

Well, Noel Stone of Powell River, British Columbia has come up with a different homemade water watcher . . . one that is not as exact as Mr. Byers' invention, but sure does let the Canadian know when his cistern's starting to run low.

Noel constructed a simple "fluid flag" by tying an empty plastic bleach bottle and a small red banner to opposite ends of along pole. Then he put a large spike through the stick's center (to provide a rotation point for his device) and attached that nail to the inside of his holding tank. That way, whenever the water level of the storage facility drops, the float bottle descends and the flag rises . . . until—eventually—the signal pokes out the top of the tank . . . telling Noel that he'd better start cutting back on his water use!