English drought: Hosepipe ban

Water companies across southern and eastern Europe bringing in water hose bans in face of drought conditions.

Up to 20 million homes face hosepipe bans by the end of the month after seven water companies today announced restrictions that could last throughout the summer in a bid to stave off a worsening drought.

The use of hosepipes and sprinklers will also be banned for watering public parks and allotments, as well as for filling swimming pools, paddling pools, ponds and fountains.

"But, as the weather gets warmer, the demand for water will rise and therefore, to safeguard supplies throughout the summer we need to restrict the amount of water used in gardens."

Telegraph

This is crazy. How are they going to control this?? I don't know if this is common there, but I bet there a many people who are living of their Garden.

There are many theories that even wars will be fought over water in the future.

Yup, if you look closely on amount of clean, drinking water, comparing to salt water, you get rather grim image,
Water IS strategic resource, always been, and always will be.

Human dies without water. Just 3 days without this substance, and we're dead (of course you can prolong it by drinking urine, but eventually it will lead to kidneys failure).

Scary when you think about it.

reply to post by Hellas


I spent a good 13 years in Spain from 1997 onwards. We used to have regular infrastructure failure there, water and electricity and sometimes phones. I'm talking about 3 day powercuts, days/weeks without water coming from the taps. This was before a desaltation plant was built to cover our area. This was all due to the exploding population during summer times, both domestic and foreign tourism.

How was it dealt with? Public water tanks were set up everywhere and people helped themselves, there was no fighting or arguing, just people filling up some bottles for personal use.

It's not that there was a hoseban, there just wasnt ANY water coming from the pipes...

This has nothing to do then with never building new water catchment areas or the large number of visitors to London and the SE who will all need water during the olympics?

To me this is just another price we are having to pay for hosting the olympics games.

Originally posted by Hellas
This is crazy. How are they going to control this??

A very similar plan was implimented here in Australia some years ago, as we experienced rather severe drought.
This has eased off somewhat, as has the severity of the water restrictions.

The cynical part of me cant help but notice the government has no problem DEMANDING by LAW that the population take measures to cut back 10 percent of their water usage, while simultaniously promoting the growth of the population by 10 percent in that same time.

Plus of course, promoting the idea that you watch your neighbours and report them for unapproved water usage activities.

Edit - looking around the net for figures, my city has reduced water consmption (per head) by 25 percent over the last ten years, while the population has gone up 20 percent. Every drop of water you save is a good excuse to stuff more people into your city.
In the end, no actual water is "saved", but the tax revenue of the city goes up.

Good job I live up north with the best drinking water on the planet .
I saw somewhere that they are planning to build a pipeline from the North to the South so you lot down south can taste it

reply to post by alfa1

Plus of course, promoting the idea that you watch your neighbours and report them for unapproved water usage activities.

That's the scary part...

Originally posted by Hellas
That's the scary part...

Being challenged by your neighbour is scary, being KILLED by them is worse.

A man has faced court charged with murder in Sydney's south after allegedly punching and kicking an elderly man and sparking a heart attack during an argument over water restrictions.

A Sydney Water spokesman said if the time stated in the police report was correct, Mr Proctor was not violating Sydney's water restrictions.

Man faces court over water-rage attack

It happens a lot in England, the North end's up providing. Of course we haven't seen that great amount of rainfall anywhere, but we still have enough not to panic.
A conversation betwixt Mr Suspiria and I this weekend went like this..

Me:"Meh, probably a good idea to get a water butt in the garden before the spring rains"
Him: "Yeah, probably..."

That's how panicked we are...

Have these water companies in the South actually done anything about their crumbling Victorian pipes? The amount of water wasted in this way is ridiculous and in my eyes it only makes it more aggravating when these mobs make money hand over fist and do sod all to sort these problems out.

And as the south / south east continues to be the "centre" of the UK, then what the hell do people expect to happen. Building more and more in an area with limited resourses i.e. water is only going to cause more problems now and in the future.

Theres a lot of farming land in the South / Southeast of England and last year farmers were already having problems due to low water levels. I'd rather have a farmer make use of that wee bit of water than see someone with a shiny car or green lawn. Washing cars, watering lawns etc isnt a given right but I dont know if i could report someone. I'd be raging but actually report someone? I dont know. I know in the grand scheme that bit of water I save wont do much but people need to start thinking collectively when it comes down to this kind of thing, too much of me me me going around.

As for OP, your comment about living off your garden thats where dish water i.e washing dishes, having baths, all that water can be used for watering any veggies, fruits you might be growing. You dont need sparkling clean water to keep your plants alive and if you do have a large plot you can have your house plumbed in such a way that the water is collected for use. Or keep a rain water barrel; even if theres little rain it still collects and can be used.

As for that pipe, as long as us Scots & Northerners get paid a fine sum for our delicious water then Im ok with that

Speaking as an Englishman I feel you missed the most important part. Due to this drought they expect the potato harvest to suffer which in turn will drive up the price of chips and crisps! (Fries and chips for Americans). Now that is just totally unacceptable imho. We can import beer from Germany as a temporary measure to get round the water problem but a rise in chip and crisp prices is just going to cause major anguish.

Could not agree more with what some people say about the need for pipelines from the north to the south. Look at Kielder Water reservoir, one of the largest man made lakes in Europe, laying there, useless, as it's water isn't needed, not up here in the north anyway. Run a pipeline from that to London, hey presto, water!

The pipeline wouldn't even need to go over land as it could easily be laid down the east coast...

And as has been said before, our water up north is top quality and plentiful!

I hear about these hosepipe bans every summer but when i take walks around the many reservoirs just in my local area alone i think to myself "these people must be mad".

Originally posted by colin42
This has nothing to do then with never building new water catchment areas or the large number of visitors to London and the SE who will all need water during the olympics?

To me this is just another price we are having to pay for hosting the olympics games.

Not sure i get your point to be honest. Large parts of England (was gong to say UK but that would be wrong) have had little rain for at least the past 9 months - as such, obviously water levels have dropped.

Plus the fact we have had various hose pipe bans over the years and there has been no Olympics at any of those bans.......

reply to post by boymonkey74


What, our lovely Northern water is being stolen?

I hope we are getting a reduction in council tax for that!

To Ficurgal:

It is a hard one isn't it? The idea of being community snitch isn't one that appeals to be honest. I think i would only do it if the same person was totally ignoring it day after day and the shortage was so bad that people were actually dying as a result.

reply to post by boymonkey74


The Scottish Government are giving with one hand and want something in return.

The HS2 Rail-network, the Scottish Government wants that to be built in, in the first phase, and they will allow the pipeline to be built.

If the Westminster Government say no. Then no pipeline, no Water.

The Westminster Government tried to do this before. But there was an outcry by the Scottish People over it and it was scrapped.

Originally posted by Flavian

Originally posted by colin42
This has nothing to do then with never building new water catchment areas or the large number of visitors to London and the SE who will all need water during the olympics?

To me this is just another price we are having to pay for hosting the olympics games.

Not sure i get your point to be honest. Large parts of England (was gong to say UK but that would be wrong) have had little rain for at least the past 9 months - as such, obviously water levels have dropped.

Plus the fact we have had various hose pipe bans over the years and there has been no Olympics at any of those bans.......

The point is the population in the South has grown massively since water was put into the hands of private ownership. I know of no new catchment areas. We have promoted tourism in that time and now the Olympics with all the added pressures.

We have underground storage so my guess is they will not show you the levels there. The water table in London is and has been causing major problems for the underground. A true drought would show up in collapsing foundations in the clay areas in London of which there are many (clay heave). The drought is a fake to ensure water for the huge rise in tourism during the Olympics. Lets see if standpipes are put in place within the olympic footprint.

People should get rain water barrels... We did have some rain over the winter.

I can remember hose bans in the '70's, so this is nothing new.

Britain often has droughts in the summer and water becomes scarce.

This happens in my area almost every year. I actually expect it now. Last year they disconnected the streets stand pipe as well and cut the pressure down on our indoor taps. Yet still they charge us silly amounts.

I have a question for those who might understand the physics or whatever of this better but what if all that snow we've had over the last few years had been collected and used to up the resevoirs? (sp?) Clear the roads and provide more water in one swoop? Would it be something to consider for the next heavy snowfall we might get? Or is that just a stupid idea?!

Well our ban kicked in today......not that they are expecting everyone to abide by it lol....

More than one in three people will flout the hosepipe ban that has come into force in drought-hit parts of the country, according to a survey.
Millions of householders across southern and eastern England are subject to the restrictions.

But 37% of people who responded to a survey carried out by hosepipeban.org.uk said they did not intend to abide by the ban.

The seven companies introducing restrictions on water use following one of the driest two-year periods on record are relying on members of the public to report people breaking the rules.

'One In Three People Will Flout Hosepipe Ban'

There are "do's and don'ts" on that link relating to what you can and can't do with water this summer. To be honest though, the majority of teh ban seems to be about the use of a hose. For example, you can't hose your lawn, but you can refill a watering can as much as you want.

Oh well, best of luck with that one. They make millions in profit, don;t bother to sort out half the leaks, waste more water themselves than half the population, and flout these laws worse than anyone....so basicaly they can stick the hosepipe ban where the sun don't shine.

To be honest, i reckon i'd use less using a hosepipe than going back and forth with my 10ltr watering can.

If we are being told to cut down on water, how come my water bill isn't getting any cheaper?

CX.

PS: Just to add, was listening to the guy in charge of this ban on the radio this morning....he said it would probably go on until at least through autumn.