On 2010-07-09 15:41:06 +0100, Flop said:

pete wrote:
On Wed, 7 Jul 2010 23:02:36 +0100, Mike P wrote:
"JMS" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 7 Jul 2010 20:33:45 +0100, "shazzbat"
wrote:

"Pete" wrote in message
...
We are about to have a hosepipe ban throughout the North West. My
immediate reaction was not to worry - we have a 5,000 gallon water tank
filled with rainwater which we hadn't used because the pump system wasn't
working. My other half now says he can get the pump working so we can use
this water via our hosepipes.

However, I have got a vague memory of people not being allowed to use
hosepipes even if they are not connected to the mains water.

Is my memory correct or am I having a senior moment?!!!
Your memory is correct. People were threatened with legal action for using
their hospipes to water their gardens with rainwater from tanks etc. Note
the term "threatened". I doubt whether they would actually prosecute if you
called their bluff. Frankly I doubt if they could legally stop you moving
your water with your hosepipe.

X-posted to UK.legal, I'm sure they'd like to join in.

Steve

There was an item on the news tonight saying that the last time UU
(was NWW) introduced the ban 17 years ago no-one was prosecuted.

I think it would be of interest how much water is wasted from leaks
per day - and how much water is used in garden hose-pipes each day.
Used to get hosepipe bans regularly when I lived in Greece. You'd find
people washing their cars round the back of their houses in the middle
of the night with their hose...

It'll be interesting to see if this ban extends to include irrigation
systems that householders are increasingly installing to do the watering
for them.

A spokesman for United Utilities was interviewed on Radio4.

In summary,

a) he didn't really know what was covered [pressure washers etc]

b) policing would be by neighbours ratting on you [presumably with you
then fessing up]

In short, it is a PR exercise to save water. But not heavy handed
enough to cause people/the media to ask how much water is allowed to
waste by leakage and why investment is not going to renew old [but
clean] pipework.

Flop

Anyone reporting a hose user had better be sure the 'offender' is
definitely using it for an illegal purpose. There may not be many
inches between a garden path (legal to wash down with a hose) and a
garden border (illegal to water with a hose).