Wasting water in a heatwave. Private schools keeping grounds green with sprinklers..

[ifonlytheydlisten]

I’ve seen this twice now this week whilst everywhere else has bans or people just accepting grass will be hay and water in short supply. Opposite end of spectrum to wild wire concerns and grassland burning near us. Do they have wierd exception? Is it just me that it really winds me up as entitled? It’s made me really annoyed.

Only manufacturers of disposal barbecues.

Totally agree. The whole raw sewage being chucked into sea and rivers constantly also makes me & un repaired leaks but that’s a whole other topic!

They have caretakers and gardeners who do that fur a living. Are they less worthy than the car wash workers?

I’m sure there other jobs there could do lol. Today’s was a massive un manned sprinkler on a lush green lawn with no trees in sight, not a sports pitch etc. Rest of the houses, pubs etc around the school were all yellow like everywhere else. It was very odd sight.

No, if the water companies had been investing the systems would be expanding with the population and properties being built. We have known for decades climate change was coming, yet they still took their profits rather than prepare.

Businesses are exempt though. The public wanted private schools to be treated as businesses and yet here you are whining on when that happens.

They have caretakers AND gardeners making their living just maintaining the lawn sprinkler system? So about half hours work a week between them? No wonder the fees are so high.

i believe there are exceptions for newly laid turf (if laid within the last 4 weeks, you can use a hose). Also exceptions to clean harmful substances off surfaces. Check with your water provider.

I believe that there is an exemption for lawns laid in the last 28 days.

Don’t forget the VAT.

Report them. Green grass is the new shameful meter. Yanbu.

We don’t have a hose pipe ban but 10 minutes down the road does. I’ll keep watering the lawn until I’m told not to.

My water board actually lists newly laid turf and new plants as an exception for a short time.

Annoying but to be totally honest I know an awful lot of people who are watering their gardens daily and/or watering their lawns. They seem not to care or understand that it's all coming from the same resource. My garden is completely dead and my grass is brown and crispy (admittedly because I am lazy and tight) but this selfishness isn't limited to private schools

It really depends on where you are. Northwest water has above average reserves.

Yes, that is true.

It’s bigger than that though, water companies are not in charge of planning and they are all separate entities.

We need a national strategy to deal with the water crisis.

VAT is irrelevant where the school is concerned. Their business is educating children, which will not be remotely impacted by saving water by allowing the lawn to go brown. Their income stream will remain the same, their grounds staff will be paid regardless and the public purse will continue to benefit from the associated taxes.
Unlike the car wash, the nature of who's business relies on water. No water, no income stream. No wages. No taxes.

Bristol Water and Wessex Water don't currently have a hosepipe ban , although they are asking people to be responsible.

Car wash and tax, What tax?

Minimal wage, cash in hand payments, UC.

At least the private schools pay tax.

Would you be posting the same.if it was a state school?

I did not know this. We have new trees planted a couple of months ago and have been watering them every other day, may up this to every day. Some of the water comes from a bucket we are keeping in our shower and we have receptacles for run off water wherever we can.

If you are a gardener and have an annual budget to stick to, you would certainly be fired if every plant you were paid to look after died, regardless of where you work!

No surprise there, similar situation with prison space, school places, building new homes. No forward planning.

Yes 100% I would. The local golf courses only seem to be watering the key bits like greens. No other businesses seem to be doing it. Pubs on same road all had yellow beer gardens. All local parks are suffering.
That’s why it stood out as odd & seemingly no need for it. As I said, maybe they have a bore hole.

So water the plants not the grass?

I quite like the hay effect. Smells like summer and saves mowing. It will all come back after a bit of rain ( all winter and spring).