Hosepipe ban not in force until next week. Kids Pool, wwyd?

[MrsWidgerysLodger]

As per the title really, we're in Yorkshire and our hosepipe ban doesn't kick in until end August. DD has been asking to have the pool out but I'm on the fence about it given all the press about water shortages etc. So Munsnetters, WWYD? Do I put the pool up for the weekend or say no?

And make life more difficult for everyone? If you are trying to make a point about the water companies, doing it this way is not the way to do it.

I live near a lot of reservoirs in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. We often walk around them. Seeing one the other day really brought home how little water we have at the moment.

I have put the hosepipe in the garage and am keeping the washing up bowl in the sink to save any water used for washing veg, rinsing hands etc to use in the garden.

You do you and I hope you feel really smug anout your contribution for the greater good.

I don’t have a pool but do have a 3x2m planted patch. I am now having to use a watering can, not my hose pipe.

BUT

I have to fill my watering can with my hosepipe!! And I end up using more water! I do think watering grass with sprinklers and car washing with a hose shouldn’t be allowed but garden plant watering with the hose on the tap setting, not sprinkler… what’s the difference to what I’m doing now!?!?

They haven't introduced a hosepipe ban yet where I live it may be in the coming weeks, im still using my hosepipe as I have just had a new garden installed 2 months ago and plants esp the trees are still establishing their roots, so I'm not prepared to watch hundreds of pounds worth of plants die.

Funny because I can when they introduce it use a watering can but not a hosepipe even though I will use roughly the same amount of water but itll just take me longer to do.

We also had to massive pipes burst because they haven't fixed the pipes. THere is a pipe on my road that has burst at least 4 times in 2 years and they always so slow to come out

Just fill up the paddling pool

Exactly this!

We are an island!

And not only that, but we pay a fortune for water. It's not right that we should have to bear the cost of the water companies' mismanagement.

Water company leaks lose a huge amount of water but the more water that is used the less that is available for everyone and the more that is being extracted from rivers that are drying up, leading to local environmental catastrophe. It's not a moral discussion, it's a simple fact.

In saying that, if I had a small child, no hosepipe ban yet and was already watering my garden with watering cans, I would use a small paddling pool as the holding area for my plant water if you see what I mean.

So I'd fill the pool, perhaps skip the kids bath on that day and subsequent bath days when pool is used, then use watering cans from the pool to water my plants and if needed top the pool up with watering cans. One can out, one can in. That way apart from the initial fill, there would be no extra water being used.

I think if you're going to keep it up for a while it's fine. If you're going to fill and empty it this weekend you shouldn't.

The UK needs around 14 billion litres of water each day.

Around 3 billion litres of water is lost each day by the water companies through leaks.

Last year, those same companies made £2.8 billion litres in profit whilst dumping record amounts of sewage into our rivers and lakes.

They have utterly failed to invest in our water network. They have not fixed leaks. They have not built new reservoirs to provide for new housing estates. They have damaged our precious eco systems.

And now they are begging us to use less.

Fill your pool OP.

Pretty much this.

You know a lot of those leaks are caused by ground shrinking due to the dry weather?

Some of the attitudes on this thread are terrifying. As a species, we absolutely deserve everything that is happening to us. I feel sorry for our kids who have to try to rescue what they can from the ashes though.

I believe your currently recommended not to use your hose pipe but there’s no ban.

the reasoning and evidence for that recommendation is abundantly clear. It’s not for no good reason, and you know that or you wouldn’t be posting.

Totally.
my favourite was the woman on tv

”I pay for it so I’ll use it”

clearly no clue it’s a finite resource.

Yes, maybe some leaks that should have been fixed haven't.

But so what? There is a shortage of water, fixing a few leaks isn't going to change that in the short term, is it?

So sure, keep using hoses etc but if and when harsher water restrictions come in you don't get to moan at all.

Water waste and lack of maintenance of infrastructure are valid but separate arguments.

The fact is we have a limited resource, it’s finite and the immediate problem is about making sure we have the essential usage requirements covered.

by all means pressure the water monopolies and government to sort their shit out, I’m right there with you, but ignoring the more pressing fact that water supplies are running low now to make some sort of point by flagrantly using supplies is asinine.

I’m sure you’re right about that, but it’s still not accurate to say we’re hardly building any houses when there are loads of houses being built.

We don't have a ban where I live but my moral conscience has kicked in and I have allowed the plants in my garden pots to die rather than watering them to attempt to keep them alive
For another month. I would hope the water I save would allow crops to be watered.

That reminds me of a woman on the news during the pandemic. Clearly annoyed by all the travel restrictions her comment was ‘they need to sort a vaccine out now’.

Not even a flicker of comprehension that just because she demanded something doesn’t mean it can just ‘happen’.

Oh just do it OP. I’m sick of the constant alarmist restrictions and rules in this country these days- drama and wailing constantly about nothing.

I guess you just want everyone to say yes, so do whatever you think is best really.

I suppose it depends on the tint of your glasses. It’s not alarmist to point out actual facts, if those facts alarm you maybe that’s your resilience problem?

its a complicated issue but that’s not necessarily the right thing to do either.
pollinators are literally starving to death at the moment (look at the wild buddleia and blackberry bushes), their larvae are drying out and dying as they get their moisture from the plants they live on and eat.

so against my water judgement I’m watering my weeds and pollinator plants.

I wish they would pull their finger out and sort out the worlds issues. Too busy sitting on their arses all day.

I would do it.

1912 we knew about climate change
did nothing.
1930’s we knew about climate change
did nothing
1980’s we knew about climate change
made a cartoon, did nothing more
1990’s we knew about climate change
did nothing
2000’s knew about climate change
did nothing
2010 start to see things warming up significantly
did nothing
2020’s we are starting to physically see it and get to reap what we have sowed.
its not alarmist. It’s not for fun.

this is going to be the coldest summer of your kids lives. I hope theyve enjoyed it

I agree with this.

I have a bumble bee nest in my garden and as many plants for pollinators as I could fit in. I'm not going to let them all die and leave nothing for the bees and othe pollinators. I have water butts and they are usually enough but they are empty now so will carry on watering all my plants.