There is a particular kind of British optimism in the way we tend to our gardens, filling paddling pools and washing down the car the moment a bit of sunshine appears. Yet water, for all that it falls on this country with such reliable enthusiasm for most of the year, has a knack of running short exactly when everyone wants a bit more of it. Let a long dry spell settle in and demand for water climbs and the taps do not so much run dry as the rules around them tighten, which is precisely where Guildford now finds itself.
What’s Happened
Thames Water, which supplies homes across Guildford and the wider area, has brought in a Temporary Use Ban, the formal name for what most of us still call a ‘hosepipe ban’. It is the measure water companies turn to when a run of hot, dry weather pushes demand well beyond what the network was built to handle. The company says it would not take the step unless it were needed to protect supplies for households and the environment and that the restriction targets non-essential outdoor use rather than the water you depend on from one day to the next.
There is, in other words, plenty for the essentials and the ban therefore exists to keep it that way whilst the dry conditions hold. As a rule of thumb, making a cup of tea or a glass of squash will continue to be fine, as will your daily showers and baths, but watering your plants or filling up a hot tub will be off the list. Here’s a look at the specifics:
What You Cannot Do
The list of banned activities is longer than most people expect. You cannot water a garden or your plants with a hosepipe, wash a car, a boat, or a caravan with one, or fill and top up a paddling pool, swimming pool, or hot tub. Cleaning windows, walls, paths, patios and other outdoor surfaces with a hose is out too, as is filling an ornamental fountain or pond, or drawing water for any sort of domestic recreation.
Sprinklers and irrigation systems fed from the mains come under the same rules, so the automatic timer that keeps your lawn a respectable shade of green will need switching off for the duration.
What You Can Still Do
The ban is narrower than it first sounds and a good deal of ordinary life carries on untouched. A watering can and a bucket are both still fair game, so your tomatoes and hanging baskets need not go thirsty, even if filling the can calls for a touch more patience than the hose does. Water for drinking, cooking, washing and everyday hygiene is entirely unaffected and you are free to wash the car with a bucket and sponge should you feel so inclined.
Businesses that rely on water, the likes of window cleaners and car washes, are generally treated differently from households, though it is worth checking the small print if your livelihood depends on it.
Who Is Exempt
Not everyone is caught by the restriction. Those that are classed as having severe mobility difficulties, even if you don’t have a Blue Badge, are exempt. Customers on the water company’s Priority Services Register, which supports people with additional needs, are automatically exempt from the banned activities too. There are further exemptions where a hose is needed for health and safety reasons, and for people with serious mobility problems for whom a watering can simply is not practical.
If you think your circumstances might qualify, it is sensible to check directly with your supplier rather than assume, since the exemptions are specific and the company keeps the final say. There are more exemptions than you might realise, so it’s definitely worth checking.
The Fine for Ignoring It
It is fair to say that most people will fall into line without much fuss, but the ban is not toothless. A Temporary Use Ban is issued under the Water Industry Act 1991 and flouting one is a criminal offence that can carry a fine of up to £1,000 on conviction.
In practice, water companies tend to rely on reminders and the odd neighbourly nudge long before anything troubles a courtroom and a quiet word usually settles it. Even so, with supplies under strain, the sensible course is to treat the restriction as the law it actually is.
What Happens Next
Bans of this sort are lifted as soon as the pressure on supplies eases, so a decent spell of rain and a dip in demand should see normal service resume before too long. Until then, Guildford’s gardens will have to make do with a watering can and a little goodwill. Of course, there are worse ways to pass a warm evening than pottering about in one. Keep half an eye on your supplier’s updates for word on when the hose can come back out.