Would you report somebody for using a hosepipe during a ban?

[BurntBroccoli]

Lots of people on FB saying they will continue using as much water as they please as they have “paid for it”.

Reservoir levels are at 55% capacity when normally it’s 89% and with much more hot weather to come, I’m worried that they will implement standpipes due to people being irresponsible.

If you read the full restrictions, not just the headline, it describes the things you can do. Filling a NEW hot tub is on the list. Also you can fill one with a bucket...

You can also water food crops with a hosepipe, but not flowers.

It's a hosepipe ban not a watering can ban

Put your plants in the shade and reuse your washing up water they will be fine

Ignore the grass it will be fine personally I'm planting more clover in my lawn

You have a boring life if you are debating this…honestly…worry more about the corruption within the utilities companies - much better placed!

Apparently the reservoir has to be completely drained for any maintenance so that is definitely not doable at the moment.

No I’m just worried about all the wildlife that will suffer in gardens if we go to a standpipe situation.
I hate the water companies too!

I’m not sure but think I probably would report them yes. But I also do understand why people feel this way because our water company has seriously taken the piss and somehow been allowed to do so at all of our expense for so long.

No. Far more is wasted by the water companies themselves and don’t get me started at the prices and the amount their shareholders are paid!

And honestly I don't think I would report my neighbours but mine probably wouldn't take the piss anyway

Omg you need to get a grip

I’m doing exactly that and have bought another larger watering can. I never water my grass as it’s a complete waste of water (it always grows back).

If the crunch comes and we don’t get much rain, then they will turn off water supplies to houses and install standpipes. It will be extremely difficult to water plants then.

What about ppl whose high water usage is no fault of their own
As ive stated on other threads i have a bath. Bloody been there since the1980s. The HA have refused to install a shower twice. Now a leak has been reported back in MAY and the fuckers refused to attend until 16th July so i will be moving my toileties and nothing else. a. they dragged it into a heatwave and. b. the amount of water ive had to use is astronomical Instead of pestering ppl over hosepipes perhaps they should look into how many ppl are having to use more water through no fault of their own. Now after constantly refusing to install a shower the bath is rusting Its two separate taps not a mixer.

Yes I know you can do those things.

Quickly watering their plants? No problem. Don't like the idea of plants dying.
Washing their car or filling a paddling pool? Not necessary.

I think it would depend on what they were doing and how frequently. I realise there needs to be a way of telling people to use less water but a hosepipe ban can be rather a blunt instrument (I don't have a better suggestion though).

Some households waste so much water on a daily basis through things like extra long showers, leaving taps running etc. Others are much more frugal in the long term, and I really couldn't get upset about someone who generally doesn't waste water occasionally watering their garden through a hosepipe ban. But someone who's leaving their sprinklers on every night because they want lush grass, now them I might report!

Depends tbh.

If it was my neighbours who I know are very careful with all resources usually (they recycle, use grey water on the garden as much as possible, collect rainwater etc) and grow a lot of their own food, I'd turn a blind eye to them watering the veg patch so long as it wasn't every day.

If it was my other neighbours who have a hot tub and a paddling pool and get sprinklers out for the kids to play with, I'd probably be less inclined to ignore it if they started spraying the hose around.

Tbh if everyone in the UK just took one less shower a week, wore their clothes one more time before washing them (unless genuinely filthy), changed their sheets a bit less often...that might reduce water consumption to something a little more sustainable anyway. That plus the water companies actually fixing leaks and building new reservoirs, obvs.

I don't have mains water, we are supplied by a spring, so it's second nature to me to be super cautious about usage all through the summer. It often surprises me how much less cautious people on mains water are!

Where will the extra water come from if the summer and Autumn is as dry as spring was?

Nope. Because the real criminals are the greedy water companies have been ripping us off and mismanaging the network for years.

We need to re-nationalise water supply.

That's all very well but currently water is a finite source.

For the record, no I wouldn't but I would judge quite harshly. Our reservoirs are very low.

Of course. Seeing people pour water on their lawn is different to your situation.

I agree completely with all this. I’m extra careful with water myself and see it as a precious resource.

No. I reported a water leak to Thames water. The water was pouring out - 6 weeks later they turned up to fix it. If they were that worried about conserving water, they would be ensuring leaks are fixed.

People that are using hosepipes to water their garden I will 100 percent turn a blind eye to. People who love their gardens and don’t want plants to die are generally good people in my eyes. I love it when I see people tending to their gardens, especially older people. I love having a nose at people’s gardens and seeing bright flowers and well cared for lawns. It genuinely cheers me up.

No I wouldn’t but knowing my neighbours I think they’d all comply anyway.
I’d use a watering can to do the herbs/veg. Quite often do that anyway.

There is a severe drought here. Driest Spring for 132 years. Farmers are extremely worried. Crops aren’t growing that well, no grass for livestock so they are having to eat the winter hay.

Your post has just taken me back to Covid and all ‘should I report….’ comments and threads on here!