AIBU to be angry about hosepipe bans and whether people will comply?

[liquidfinch]

AIBU to be so angry about the hosepipe bans and the situation we find ourselves in?!

If we keep having these heatwaves AND hosepipe bans the future is going to become utterly unbearable.

I read somewhere that it's not even about us running out of water this year! The water companies are just worried about having to supply what we need because it will impact their environmental targets (they want to reduce water use per capita).

If they don't hit these targets it could reduce their bonuses and/or they might be fined.

These bans will have enormous adverse impacts on nature and ecosystems.

If we can't water our gardens, plants and parks wildlife will suffer. Pollinators especially. I think it's appalling.

Are you ready for the hosepipe ban?

Have you taken any measures (buying water butts, filling up pools) to mitigate the impact this will have on your normal routine/enjoyment of your home/garden/life?

Most importantly: are you going to comply?

• Cambridge Water:

Active as of July 9, and enforceable from 1am on Friday, July 17.

• Southern Water:

Enforced starting from 1am on July 11.

• South East Water:

Enforced starting from July 18.

Forgot about this! Ridiculous!!

Good question. Wondering if dyslexia will do? 🤓

No you don't. This is why we need to have hose pipe bans because people are literally throwing wholesome drinking water down the drain.

I agree its a joke. My elderly parents have a really big garden they have to use a hosepipe, and ppl are busy! Bloody greedy water companies 😩

We have needed to improve our water infrastructure for years and it shouldn’t be in private hands

disgrace

I'll probably be less compliant with a second ban than last year as they should be sorting out more storage/reservoirs etc. Fixing leaks. I'll move the pots into the shadiest part of the garden and I dont water grass etc. But I'll probably still water pots thoroughly once a week at night as neither of my neighbours care.

Last year I didnt jetwash the patio as it was a dry spring. But the reservoirs were full this spring so I see no reason why we've run out again!

I personally won't be using a hosepipe because I don't normally.

I won't be reporting anyone that does.

I'm at the point I don't care if we run out for a few days (as long as they get water to the most needy) because that is a fucking disgrace and then it will make national, maybe international news and maybe, just maybe, the water companies will be made to do something.

So I kind of hope people don't comply.

If we all just respect their ban, they don't need to do anything or pull a finger out at all.

Where we are, there is a hosepipe ban, the company have admitted they can't keep up with the demand, and yet their are thousands of new houses being built. Someone who has recently moved into a new build near me says their water pressure is basically non existent.

Like I said, I hope people don't comply.

We have two water butt's and a plastic dustbin which are all nearly empty. We have always complied with hosepipe bans but I 'm becoming inclined to ignore any ban. Won't wash the car obviously but my garden has cost me a lot of money and when I see how much money the water companies waste it makes me sick. Like everyone else we have had leaks not repaired, last year they had a marvelous opportunity to clean out all the dry reservoirs but they didn't do it. The head grifter of our water company got something like a 1.25 million bonus for what exactly i have no idea. Getting a bit sick of being taken for a mug.

But we need to water golf courses?

It's not throwing water down the drain if you water your lawn it is the complete opposite. Are you aware that the soil is supporting tree roots? And that when the soil dries up too much, trees become more prone to dying and/or falling over?

Are you aware of what was mentioned in the OP - that we arent running out of water this year, the water companies just don't want to supply what we need because it means going over the per capita use targets and they have failed to invest enough into their infrastructure, because they use profits to pay themselves and shareholders?

Completely agree. Shameful that water was ever privatised.
And now water companies are pop saying eye watering executive salaries whilst being loaded with debt whilst asking for bail outs.
We also have ? 15 million higher population than in 1976 with minimal new reservoirs.

I absolutely will comply.

Firstly, not to comply is illegal and you can be prosecuted.

Secondly, water is a precious and finite resource. People saying they pay for it so they'll use what they want, or "but leakage", or similar, won't magically make more water appear.

There is low water pressure in Cambs because demand is up massively and they can't maintain thid level of supply because they can't treat it fast enough. Also water abstraction impacts local chalk streams. It's an extremely dry part of the country, it hasn't rained significantly in months and last summer was also dry.

There's also a lot of building in the area which the EA and water companies and previous MP campaigned against, because of water supply issues. They were overruled because Building Targets.

Yes, I have made changes. I have three water butts, and I've also started collecting handwash water and shower water. I've halved my shower time and even in two minutes collected enough run-off to use to wash my hair, THEN reuse to clean the bathroom, and THEN use it to water a quarter of the tubs in the garden.

I've also got a jug of water in the fridge so I don't waste water running the tap cold,and only flushing the toilet after every other wee.

I feel so strongly about this. I'd welcome a thread where instead of people whinging, being entitled and coming up with reasons for not complying, they could instead share practical tips for saving water and actually pull together to help the environment. Everyone wastes so much water every day.

Read about the current state of the Colorado river and other water disasters.

The water companies will do nothing, I promise you that much.

What will happen is the tax payer will have to foot the bill for new reservoirs.

In fact I suspect this is why they're putting the bans in place - to put pressure on people and in turn the government to do something (pay)

I wouldn’t comply. Not my problem that through mismanagement the water company fails to fix leaks and maintain infrastructure because they’re too busy paying themselves massive profits. Not to mention if it’s fine for a golf course or an AI data centre to use ridiculous quantities of water then I’ll continue to let the kids cool off in the paddling pool and when they’re done reuse the water to water the plants.

If you have a private pension of any sort then odds are that you are one of those shareholders.

The water companies can do little when faced with a population of 70m and growing who persist in using far more than they need. Who see water as a resource to play with because it's nice while chucking gallons of it down the drain.

well when this becomes routine and we have droughts all because entitled people think that rules don't apply to them and they can waste water we know who to blame then don't we

FFS stop being entitled and put the fucking hosepipe away. it won't kill you to use a watering can.

just because you think we aren't running out of water doesn't make it true, if we continue with the weather we are having then yes we fucking will run out of water and entitled selfish idiots like you will not fucking help, the reservoirs will be dry or near dry especially if we continue to have little to no rain, and this will have a knock on effect over the rest of the year. but I get it, you are entitled and think fuck it I don't give a shit about everyone else, I'm going to continue to use my hosepipe and fuck the local community and everyone else.

you do realise we have very little new reservoirs right? you do realise what happens to them when we have very little rain?

no the bans are in place to try and force selfish entitled idiots like you to stop fucking wasting water.

Can't be arsed with fucking entitled selfish idiots who will be the first to throw a tantrum when they have no water and they have to go and stand in a queue to get bottled water without acknowledging that they are part of the fucking reason that has happened

It is a sign of how badly managed our infrastructure is that water companies are talking about hosepipe bans after just a few weeks of hot weather, given how much it rains the rest of the year.

It would help if more reservoirs were built as the last new one was in 1992, and I understand plans are in place for this, but why this hasn’t yet been done considering our huge population increase over the last 30 years? I also hope that all these new data centres will be forced to use closed loop systems, or we will have even less water.

It's not the water company's fault there are too many new builds.

I'd welcome a thread where instead of people whinging, being entitled and coming up with reasons for not complying,

Instead of whinging in this thread (since you are so bothered by whinging) why don't you take the initiative and start the thread you wish for?

I am certain lots of people will respond and that it would be an interesting thread. You have my support!

A hosepipe ban is never implemented light heartedly. It is about reducing demand, there is only so much water that can be processed and pumped in a second, a hosepipe uses more water than people think and grass will recover. Use water butts, watering cans, reuse washing up and bath water. All ways to still water your garden without a hose pipe.

Don't believe the crap you read online. If there is a hose ban it is to prevent us running out of water to ensure we have supplies for the rest of the year and into what could be a dry winter.

Golf courses are businesses so like other businesses they have different rules. We don't restrict other business for pulling on water. All businesses are also on a meter so are paying for every drop used.

A hose will literally use hundreds of litres in a hour, more than your family would use in a couple of days of normal use.

Get your water can out, have a water butt. If everyone plays their part then the ban won't last as long.

Trees don't use surface water. A quick Google says it from well below the surface. Also it will have rained in the past few weeks so below the surface is still damp.

Many large trees utilize deep taproots to pull moisture from 20 to 30 feet down, and in extreme arid environments, some species can draw water from depths exceeding 100 feet

It’s less about how we can manage and more about anger that we are put in this position by “fat cats” ( apologies to cats who are not responsible for the mess )

I didn't say it was

Same can be said about fossil fuels - should we keep using them just because pension funds haven't all divested? Assuming you think moving away from fossil fuels is a good idea of course!

It is their fault they haven’t built capacity to cope with the predicted number of new builds and predicted population growth

Hopefully the government will do something and nationalise them.