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.

When you think of the way the world is going and the way some people in the world live in draught and don’t even have clean drinking water a dry garden isn’t going to kill anyone and you sound like an awful moaner to be honest .

It’s not ridiculous.

People get prosecuted for non payment of TV licences and for taking their children out of school without authorisation.

Water is no less important.

That's also ridiculous.

When you think about how much water data centres use, a watered garden isn't going to kill anyone and you sound like an awful moaner to be honest.

Just water your garden with the hose. Apparently the water companies issue very few fines, they just hope for compliance. I won’t be letting my tree ferns suffer, they can clap me in irons if they want.

That’s not the same at all. You still pay for the water even if a ban is issued.

It’s not to do with payment but with non authorised use of water.

Of course you pay for what you use.
Fines are on top of that.

Tiles and lead flashing. Extremely common.

I agree the water can be used for all the other needs ot the garden.

It will kill plants and the bees will suffer. Not cool.

Literally whatever.

And if you get prosecuted you get a conviction that shows up on your DBS.

You can always use your bath water for the ferns.

I have literally just started growing my own veg this year. In a small area of my small garden. I will still water. And I will be filling up my watering can from my hosepipe so...😵‍💫

For the amount of watering I'll need to do (about half a dozen containers) I feel like o might just crack on and take a chance on the neighbours dobbing me in...my front garden is complete paved and my back lawn is absolute shite anyway so I can live with that looking even worse, but four months of lovingly cultivated veg...hmmm....

Hosepipes use a lot of water, so if you don't use one your bill will go down anyway if you're on a meter.

1. Fines are never issued.
2. Nobody is ever prosecuted.

I meant most adults i know.

Actually, most young people can get their head round the idea that if person X is a selfish jerk, that isn't an excuse to be a selfish jerk yourself.

I am a dog owner, and pick up my dog's crap when we are out for a walk. By your logic, the fact that some owners don't clean.up after their dog means I don't have to either. But that would result in a whole lot more dog crap making the park worse for everyone. So I pick it up.

Apparently there is an exemption in place for watering crops!

i got my water butt through the water company

I've got no intention of complying with a hosepipe ban unless my water payments are discounted. Why should I pay the same amount but get less?

My garden is all uphill and the tap is at the bottom - watering it with a can is an absolute fucking hideous nightmare. It's a relatively large-ish garden, I've hurt my back as well, I'm up and down the steps with that can about 50 times + just to do the top half of the garden. And my garden is full of pollinators and birds who rely on it. Southeast water are an absolute fucking disgrace. I live in Sittingbourne and I don't remember the last summer we didn't get a hosepipe ban, I'm fucking SICK of it - and it turns out the reason isn't even that we're short of water?!?! WTAF? Fucking seething.

I don't water my little mainly container garden in a wasteful way using a hose but I really struggle to do it with a can as I can't hold it long enough under the tap and carry it backwards and forward that many times. I will be really pissed off if my lovingly tended and expensive plants die and the bees and butterflies don't have anything. Also it really grates if bloody golf courses and car washes are still using water like they usually do.

Much the same as dog owners not picking up their dog's crap.

Doesn't make it right, and doesn't make for a pleasant community.

Oh yes, because actual shit that can make you go blind is the same as water.

Still, I don't think dog owners should be prosecuted for something like that, it clogs up the justice system. A fine is fine!

We are lucky - never had a ban. Bournemouth and district water company have their own sources.

Apart from environmental reasons, my water bills has a standing charge, and then a usage charge, so the less we use the less we pay.

Apparently DD and I use about the same amount of water as the average one person household. We live very comfortably, so I have no idea what the average person is doing...