Hosepipe bans - do they only apply to mains water?

[RJH]

Which probably isn't that bad in the scheme of things - that's 15 million people. Amazed the 'experts' couldn't field your question.

I've just checked the Yorkshire water leakage figures - just within targets and managed to get a near 300k bonus. A piffling 283 million litres a day. Bravo. Daily *consumption* is 'only' 700Ml/d ffs.

Mind, they picked up 10s of millions in fines for sewage dumping, poor water quality and poor service. But offset a large chunk of the fines with a £17m bonus for a mere 4500 external sewer flooding incidents. Might explain the poor quality of public bathing pool water.

[Robin]

Something was nagging me about the above. It was s.76A(5):

"(5)Subject to provision under subsection (2) [i.e. the 2010 Order] , a reference to a hosepipe in section 76 includes a reference to anything designed, adapted or used to serve the same purpose as a hosepipe."

That's a purposive test that'd shoot down most cunning plans.

Now where the bloody hell have they got to with those prosthetic memory brain implants?

[Bob Eager]

They can still use it; they just can't use a hosepipe to do so.

My wife has an allotment. Hosepipes are just not allowed; they haven't been in all the years she's been there. There are numerous open troughs connected to tyhe mains via a float valve, and that's where you fill your cans.

It isn't that big a deal.

[Animal]

Someone will connect a sprinkler direct to a tap....

[SteveW]

Yorkshire water's information says that using a hose that is not fed from the mains (or from a tank that is fed by the mains) is fine. United Utilities hose ban a few years ago specifically ruled out using a hose at all, even from water butts or similar. Each area has it's own rules.

[SteveW]

But it is not a free market - you can't switch to another supplier and there is zero competition.

[#Paul]

Except it's been a month since I used the last of the supply from my water butts... :-/

#Paul

[Andrew]

Denis Howell, minister of Sport appointed as Drought Minister shortly before the monsoon began.

[Andrew]

They have been investing billions to upgrade sewage works to stop unprocessed sewage just being pumped out to sea. This has massively improved the water quality on beaches all along the South Coast.

I Brighton a TBM created a massive storm drain catchment tank that runs the entire length of the promenade which can then be pumped back into the treatment works after the rain has stopped.

[Andrew]

There is zero competition between gas and electric suppliers but that hasn't stopped global prices setting local prices (something that will never affect water bills).

Water bills were peanuts for decades. I used to pay for water on my rates bill and it was trivial. This means the nationalised water boards never had any money to invest because the union barons running the steel, electricity, gas, docks, coal and car industries got their snouts in the trough before anyone else.

[Mark Carver]

Thames Water have just announced a ban from next week. Their website says if you are a Blue Badge holder and/or on their Priority services register, you can still use a hosepipe.

[Robin]

The exception is in terms only for those on their Priority Services Register "with a mobility issue". But as they don't require proof of that it seems I qualify by dint of being a lazy pensioner.

[Mark Carver]

It's academic as far as my Blue Badge holding mother is concerned. I banned her a long time ago from faffing about with her hosepipe anyway. Only myself and her carers use it for her, and we won't be able to from next week.  I have just registered her for the PSR with Thames Water though, it'll be possibly useful during other forms of water crises.

[brian]

In message <td5h30$2gg7j$ [e-mail], NY [e-mail] writes

A bit about rain water harvesting .

I doubt if we will see feed-in payments as per the electric , but the analogy is that it's your water to do as you wish.

It seems however in parts of the USA, rain water falling on your property isn't yours !

It seems the only issue in the UK is pollution of the mains supply if you use common pipes. Outside taps have to have anti-siphon valves , but we all know that.

I use collected water, more for convenience,but in Scotland we generally have more water than we know what to do with.

Brian

[Chris B]

Even with a hosepipe ban you can still use a drip irrigation system. The southern Water exemption can be found on page 14 of this document

I am led to believe all hosepipe bans have a similar exemption but you may need to look in the small print of your own supplier.

The wording for the "Temporary use ban" exemption for watering a garden using a hose pipe

"Use of an approved drip or trickle irrigation system fitted with a pressure reducing valve (PRV) and timer"

There are many kits on the market that have pressure reducer, timer and varying numbers of droppers. This is but one example, there may be others much cheaper. (and looking at the stock levels there might have been a run on this type of kit!)