To just ignore the hose pipe ban this year

[Shan5474]

I know using a hose pipe is against the rules so I am BU but I’m fed up.

I live alone with no kids, all the neighbouring houses have at least four people in the family. I love gardening and I grow fruit, veg and flowers in a medium-sized garden. Last year we had a hose pipe ban almost solidly from May-October. We have one every summer (south coast).

I want to be a good person/neighbour, I just get so bloody frustrated when I can hear my neighbour’s shower drain constantly or them splashing in hot tubs/paddling pools in the summer while I’m taking ages filling watering can after watering can, when it would only take 5-10 mins to water the garden with a hose sprayer.

WIBU to just quickly use the hose in the summer? The neighbours can hear it, will they judge me? I know water use is per person not per household but the amount of showering/clothes washing/dishwasher use in the neighbouring houses must be way more than the extra water I’d use by just running the hose

The biggest issue is all the water lost through leaks etc. Some leaks pump out thousands and thousands of litres of water and the time spent arguing who is responsible for the repairs is horrifying,

I don't think you're unreasonable, but someone could video you using it and fuck you over. So I wouldn't.

I thought of the irony of an impending hose pipe ban recently too.

Why is that?

Will the prime minister observe a hosepipe ban? Will somebody be irrigating the Number Ten garden with a watering can? Will government ministers desist from using their private swimming pools in their second homes? Just like Boris Johnson and his staff obeyed all rules and guidance, while telling us that we’d kill granny if we dared to comfort our dying loved ones?

2020 and 2021 are the reason some of us have little respect for micromanagement by the state, and big companies. And as for the water companies, with their massive profits, will they actually fix their leaks, instead of leaving temporary lights in place for weeks on end, while not actually doing any work?

I will ignore one if it comes in this year…Thames Water are screwed anyway! And the amount of waste they are flooding into rivers is disgusting the local towns Facebook is up in arms about it all. The leaks they never ever fix…one has been around for 18 months and is scheduled for repair, they just haven’t disclosed what century they are going to repair it in.

Just like I normally ignore them! In fact I’m planning on buying a massive 3mx5m above ground pool for the kids this year and trust me I will be filling it from my hose.

I despair. So, in the southern and eastern regions of the UK for sure, the rivers will dry up, our parks will turn to dust bowls and their beautiful trees will suffer and grow stunted, if at all. The precious water will be diverted for human consumption. It has to be. But we must use it wisely. Sod what Johnson does.

Business that rely on large volumes of clean, fresh water will be impacted. Massive desalination plants will have to be built. The wider environment will suffer. If you have time today, see the work of Water Aid to realise how important fresh water is. Google the US dust bowl and soil erosion, if you're into your history.

He told me before he moved in that he showered after he poops which I thought seemed reasonable. I didn’t realise that would be in addition to his normal daily shower and that he had lactose intolerance. He was a cocklodger and very entitled in other ways so I had to get rid of him. But I bet he’s out there somewhere putting water on his butt while I’m thinking of putting water in a butt

I agree the water companies are shameful, but setting up an irrigation system on a timer would be a great idea.

We had a leak in our road, it was coming through the tarmac for months, the water company came out three times and said every time that it was run off from the hills. We then had a long dry spell and it was still flowing out, they finally conceded that it was a leak and a while later it was finally fixed. I dread to think how much water was wasted.

You know we've just had the wettest winter on record right? I really don't think we're going to be turning into a dust bowl any time soon.

That said businesses that use huge amounts of water in completely un eco friendly ways - like golf courses - should not be allowed to keep using huge amount in drought periods under 'exemption', it's obscene. Especially when the average person can't even water their fruit and veg garden properly.

Just do it OP.

Where do you live OP? We had a lot of rain in the UK last summer - I'd argue that nobody needed to use a hosepipe. Even if it was a bit dry for say, two whole days, it soon rained again.

Maybe wait to see what the weather does first?

The other week my neighbour was watering his lawn (with a watering can). But it has rained nearly every day!

I think people get a bit obsessed with watering their gardens.

Yabu

Invest in some water butts or if you can afford it have an underground water reservoir installed.