Hosepipe ban... really!?

[NotTakenUsername]

So, we lose days of learning in the winter (most winters now - I understand it didn’t use to be so often.)

Now, we can’t use our water supply when we most need it!

We’ve had floods this year. Floods!!

AIBU to be pissed off that just as the kids finish school with dreams of lazy days spent with the paddling pool getting full use, our shitty infrastructure lets us down once again?

In which case it's treatment plants that are needed ?

Managing water usage is far more sensible when something like this happens once every decade or so and encouraging people to be more conservative with their water usage is never a bad thing.

If you have other plants that are suffering use your water butt and a watering can

My butt has been empty for a week now.

I do think we should have a huge lot more water fountains as the Victorians tried to do so homeless and others have a ready source of drinking water - no one thinks water in plastic bottles is a good idea on all kinds of levels. We need many more public drinking fountains. I only drink tap water.

Homeless people desperate for water in heatwavewww.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3291824-Homeless-people-desperate-for-water-in-heatwave

I wish there could be a practical way to use my bath water in the garden. I have friends in other countries who do just that, and whose washing machine hose goes directly into their plant beds, and they are growing beautifully.

xenia I remember that in the 70's.... no tap water at all

A lorry came twice a day so we could fill up our own containers

I also have a water butt that has been dry for about a week now.. so its not a great solution to the issue at the moment.

We siphon bath water into the garden. It's a really sensible thing to do.

I live in Australia where it doesn’t rain for months on end in summer, yet we can run sprinklers and fill our pools.

Because the UK infrastructure isn't designed to cope with prolonged periods of weather that is outside of the ordinary. See also: "Why does the UK throw such a wobbler when there's more than 3 inches of snow on the ground" - it happens so infrequently.

I love living in Scotland. It's hardly rained since the end april/start May and we've no ban. I can't remember ever having a ban.

Op it sucks but I'm sure there's a good reason.

Not everyone HAS a water butt

I do, but it ran out due to lack of rain over the past couple of months. I confess I watered 4 plants with my hose last night. Sinner

I have no intention of flouting the ban. Nor do I intend to fill the pool with buckets as a work around.

I’m hearing and understanding the need for it.

I’m simply annoyed that there is a need for it. Once again the 7p’s have been forgotten.

AltheaorDonna - parts of Australia do have water restrictions. Odd number houses can only water with a hosepipe on X days, and even number houses only water on Y days is very common.

Dear DGRosseti, they didn’t buy a valley, they stole a valley

Stole ? It was acquired by act of parliament, so hardly "stolen". Goodness, where would be we if we started ignoring acts of parliament ?

We need many more public drinking fountains.

plus a law mandating castration with a rusty spoon for anyone caught vandalising them.

Growing up, one of the memories of community I have was a beautiful water fountain in our local park. Really ornate with a granite base, beautiful brass button, and polished granite bowl.

Smashed to pieces (must have taken a sledgehammer) in the mid 1970s, never to be replaced.

If you've a few 25L barrels spare, you can always drive up the Malverns and fill them with spring water for free ...

Stole ? It was acquired by act of parliament, so hardly "stolen". Goodness, where would be we if we started ignoring acts of parliament ?

Acquired is different from bought though isn’t it? Much like the recent “acquisition” of Scottish fishing waters to use as a Brexit bargaining tool despite the manifesto stating they’d be ringfenced.

Funny how it’s always Wales, Scotland or NI that has to suck up the impact of these acts of Parliament isn’t it?

SoddingUnicorns makes a valid point. Where would we be if we started ignoring acts of parliament that primarily benefit one country in the United Kingdom...? Hmm? 🤔

It’s not an issue many consider, or even give a shit about tbh. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t have very real consequences and cause real resentment.

I think people are forgetting there's not a National Grid for water as there is for electricity and gas.

We have lots of water in Scotland. Plenty for all of us, and extra besides. But we can't get it to the south east of England in any way which would be economically viable.

But in Australia nobody I know does children playing in the sprinkler the way they did when we were young. You never see the water running down the street from washing cars like you used to either. Melbourne has had water restrictions , usually of the type no watering gardens or sprinklers after 8 am and every second day odd numbered houses can water before 8, even days every other day. Or similar. When I see water running down the street now I think leaking. We live in a different water era.

Also when the news was full of cape towns water crisis earlier this year there was a chart of the cities most likely to run out of water. London , surprisingly, was in the list.

One wonders idly how the UK could become self sufficient in food, if we haven't got enough water for crops and livestock as well as people ?

Brexit might mean we have to find out if the predicted food price rises happen!

AltheaorDonna I think Australian water is predominantly from sea desalination plants, so supply is consistent and therefore easier to maintain supply throughout the year than a water supply mainly from rivers and reservoirs as in the UK. But there's also the issue with bad management and low investment in infrastructure...