The beekeeper should understand the subtleties of flows and be observant enough to determine when the bees are bringing in nectar. An obvious indicator would be heavy flight activity at the entrance. Weather on the previous day will influence the nectar yield of flowers. Water Honey bees need water to cool the hive and to dilute honey for feeding their young. Bees generally collect water from the nearest source, although they prefer standing water that is warm, has some organic material and is located in very shallow pools.
Some beekeepers keep a faucet running leaving a steady trickle to flow over some boards.
This assures a continuing supply of fresh water. A backyarder's bees could easily collect water from other sources, but this may present a problem. Bees collecting water at swimming pools, bird baths, and wading ponds quickly could become a nuisance. Neighbors could get stung or they might avoid using an area where the bees are because they are afraid of them. The aesthetics of having a number of dead bees floating around in the water leaves something to be desired.