hosepipe ban.

[nilling]

I heard on BBC Breakfast News this week that the last hosepipe ban was 16 years ago! I don't think it's rained since I put in my new watering system in, so yeah I've jinxed it!

I have a water butt and a plastic bin to collect rainwater off the roof and they ran dry over two weeks ago. Since then I've been using a hose and I'm not sure what I'm going to do if the ban comes into place.

[LolaLou]

....use a water pistol???

[weekendwellies]

The chances of getting caught are very slim. I don't think there are many prosecutions. However that's not the point.

The hosepipe bans are in place to conserve water when it is low. If the water isn't conserved then an Emergency Drought Order will be issued, the water supply will be stopped and standpipes will be installed in the streets! It's everyone's duty to conserve water in times of drought.

Conjuring up sneaky loopholes to get around the ban is despicable. Think of the abuse you'll get from your neighbours as you're queuing up at the standpipe to get your water!

I know the water companies don't do enough to prevent the water shortages, but wasting water to spite them won't do any good.

i wont be washing the car (not that I do anyway, maybe 2-3 times a year), or watering my front and back garden, its the allotment that concerns me, I rely on it for fruit and veg so I don't have to spend so much at the shops.
And most of us wont be looking for 'sneaky loopholes', we want to do what is right not just for us but for everyone. I just want to know where I stand thats all.

[haza1981]

I'm buying a hosepipe tomorrow and filling my water butt. I only have a few inches in so far as just got the plot. It sucks as this is the firt plot I have been on were you are allowed to use a hose too and now I may not be able to.

[Nykied]

It still seems bl**dy ridiculous to be living in Cumbria and be short of water. Last time it was like this we walked the bed of Haweswater to see the drowned village.

Ooh, if you could let me know next time that's possible, I'd really appreciate it! I'd love to do that!

[Sanjo]

When you've spent so much time, energy and money on trying to grow your own then watering becomes a priority or you get no crops and then it's all a waste. I agree that we should all be doing our bit to conserve water, I expect many of us on here are careful when brushing our teeth not to let the tap run while your doing it and that sort of thing.
I will be using veg washing water on the veg garden if the ban comes in and washing up water on the flowers but if necessary I shall water my veg with tap water. I can't comment on ethics or honour as I don't think it's my business to remark on what other peeps are doing.
All I know is I do my best. However my neighbours think nothing of filling, almost to the brim, a large garden pool for their son. He splashes in it for a couple of hours and it's tipped on the grass and refilled again next day. She'll then get the hose out a couple of days later to water the garden. I know other people who have tap water running into their fish ponds to keep the water clear as they like to see the fish!!. How many people water their lawns with a sprinkler, turning it on then walking away. Or leave the hose gushing away in the gutter while they lather up the car.
Why should somebody who does their best to be responsible, be penalised for the stupidity and wastefulness of others, not to mention the fact the water boards haven't got their act together, yet that is what is going to happen.
I seem to remember we did have a few prosecutions locally during the last big drought by the way. If it is acceptable to fill a watering can from a tap then why can't they be filled using the hose. It's the same water.
Even during the drought of 76 (goodness that dates me!) we didn't have stand pipes in the street.
Perhaps we are luckier in this area than some.
I shall do my best but since there is no hosepipe ban now I shall continue to water the garden or water butt as I see fit. Since it is not yet breaking the law then my ethics and honour are purely my concern eh? And watering my hard won veg with tap water if it is all I have available because the butt is empty is not wasting water.

[SarzWix]

Conjuring up sneaky loopholes to get around the ban is despicable

maypril, can you please take a look at the language you're using? Lots of things in this world are 'despicable', but asking if it's okay to fill your water-butts with a hose when there is no ban in place at the moment, does not come under that headline. And if there is a clause in the Water Act which says that food crops are allowed to be watered, then that is not 'despicable' either - it's the law!

[SarzWix]

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1945...9450042_en.pdf

Any legal types out there who can make head or tail of this???!!!

It would be handy to be able to quote where it says in the Water Act that it is ok to use a hose pipe on an allotment when trouble comes calling.

Ouch, hurty head... But you'll find the relevant clause on page 20 of the PDF file, and it gives very little useful information:

16.-(1) If any statutory water undertakers are of opinion
that a serious deficiency of water available for distribution
by them exists, or is threatened, they may, for such period
as they think necessary, prohibit or restrict as respects the
whole or any part of their limits of supply the use, for the
purpose of watering private gardens or washing private motor
cars, of any water supplied by them and drawn through a
hosepipe or similar apparatus.

The only thing to note is that an allotment ISN'T a 'private garden'. I'm pretty sure this Act has been updated though because loads of the penalties are quoted in shillings Plus it all applies to public owned water boards, not private companies.

[zazen999]

We have a hosepipe ban every year.
We're the driest area of the country.
I've never used a hosepipe on my garden or my lotty.


It can be done.

We don't have a hosepipe ban, but we have no water at the lottie other than what we collect during the winter. We just don't water anything apart from once when the seedlings are planted out.

Although I've not had a droughty summer so maybe that would change if things start to dry out.

[Two_Sheds]

One reason I don't like hosepipes on allotments, is because you stop everyone else getting to the tap.

At least if everyone is using cans, the taps are freed up.

The other reason is that it's too easy to waste water with a hose: people just leave it running and go off and have a chat. If you have to plod back & forth with a couple of cans, it makes you think "is this much water really that necessary?"

Like I said, we don't have hosepipes at the lotty, we live in the driest part of the country, we have sandy soil, yet we cope.

[SarzWix]

Depends if your greenhouse is at the allotment or not? I have 2 down there, and all my tomatoes and cucumbers would be dead as dodos if I didn't water them

I'm sure a post somewhere in the thread explains that because of the way the allotment taps are set a hosepipe is needed even to fill watering cans, because they don't fit under the tap...

[Two_Sheds]

because of the way the allotment taps are set a hosepipe is needed even to fill watering cans, because they don't fit under the tap...

I've got one like that: I have to fill the cans via the spout

And yes, of course greenhouses need watering every day: but you don't need a hose to do it...?

I'm not trying to cross swords with you Sarz (again) ... I'm just saying that a hosepipe ban isn't the end of the world. We have one every summer.

[SarzWix]

TBH, a hosepipe ban wouldn't make much difference to me either, because our lotties have no taps. But we are allowed buildings like shed and greenhouses to collect water from. I think you have to be quite ingenious to collect rainwater when no structures are allowed.

One thing I've learned from this prolonged dry period is that I need to use more mulches. The beds that are mulched are in much better condition than the ones which aren't. I'm collecting suitable mulching materials now (newspaper and straw), ready to spring into action after the next rainfall we get...

[Nessa]

Reading the FAQ in the link that Rabidbun put up - you can fill a watering can with a hose. The ban is really to stop unnecessary waste of water. So filling up a water but or other container would be fine.

We, luckily, wouldn't be affected by a hosepipe ban as we get our water from a bore hole, but I turn my hose off when going between the different areas of my garden, when i have to use it, as I don't like the idea of wasting water. (And it makes the grass grow quicker!)

x

[weekendwellies]

I use an adjustable spray on the end of my hose. It has about 6 settings from fine spray to jet and a button that needs to be held in so when I am not actually watering anything it is effectively off. No waste.