# How many people ignore the hosepipe ban?



## tangledmonkey (Apr 9, 2012)

My cars in need of a good wash, and I'll probably ONR it at some point over this long weekend. But I heard a neighbour using their PW the other day, and its got me thinking, how many people just ignore it? I read someones post the other day saying that using the PW uses less water than using buckets or watering cans, so I'm considering just getting the hose out.

So, how many here just go ahead and use the hose?


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## Sveneng (Apr 20, 2008)

I haven't yet and I'd like to think I will stick to the ban but I'm tempted. The neighbours used theirs the other day to fill a paddling pool and I think if everyone on our small road were in agreement and used their hoses I would probably follow suit. The problem I see is everyone knows me as the guy who is always cleaning the cars and it's really obvious when I'm out there using the pressure washer. I'm not worried about getting in trouble but I think they've put the ban in place for a reason and although Im convinced I'm using more water with buckets I don't like to flout a rule that's been put in place.


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

If there was a ban in my area & still loads of leaks = yes :thumb:

If there was a ban & the water companies fixed most of the leaks = No :thumb:


They would get compliance from me if i considered them fit to look after the water in my area, if I didn’t think them fit, then **** em! :thumb:


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

Like most things in life, if you could get away with it you would :devil: wouldn't you?

Me? Well ...


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

I am a motor trader and need to prep cars every few days.. the amount of people who will argue with me about hosepipe usage is ridiculous! the bottom line is we pay large amounts for our water and those without a meter will get charged the same regardless of using the water or not, which in my opinion is a scam! 

I am bewildered as to how an "island" can have a water shortage when far less developed countries which have hotter climates don't have the same issue.


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## themk2 (Apr 15, 2012)

kings.. said:


> I am bewildered as to how an "island" can have a water shortage when far less developed countries which have hotter climates don't have the same issue.


Because they've replaced our already leaking pipes (that lasted us a good 100 years) with plastic ones that last 3 months. The words head and a**hole spring to mind!

I was under the impression that if you are a business and require the water to make business, then it doesn't apply to you?


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## Derbyshire-stig (Dec 22, 2010)

flip the question round,
Would you grass up your neighbour for using a hose pipe ?
I wouldnt, its stupid ban, they are punishing their customers for being bad at their jobs imo.


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## tangledmonkey (Apr 9, 2012)

I certainly wouldn't grass someone up for using a hosepipe, there's a certain old troll of a woman that lives a few doors up that would 100% grass someone up though! She's a spiteful old cow. Infact, I havnt seen her for a while.....


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## pete5570 (Jun 11, 2010)

I use ONR, but i do use my sprinkler and i did power wash my decking, but i think i deserve to use the hose pipe as i've saved loads of water using ONR for the last 18 moths. That's my excuse anyway....


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## Prism Detailing (Jun 8, 2006)

We dont have a hosepipe ban in Scotland, and would be exempt when in cambs....so im fine...but tbh most of the time Ill use Chemical Guys Ecosmart RU or my dirtworker.


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## Philb1965 (Jun 29, 2010)

Using a bin and karcher pump, so not bothered...just means I have to fill up the bin with buckets...then pump to a hose....ridiculous state of affairs. PWs are more efficient, it's a crazy ban.


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## DrDax (Apr 16, 2009)

No hosepipe ban in East mids

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2


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## dekerf1996 (Sep 9, 2008)

I am using my pw, but supplied off my water butt. 

Just using it for snow foaming though, using watering can for rest, stupid as using silly amounts of water, I know using a pw I would save water.

Stupid rule by stupid local water authorities who are loosing more water than we are wasting.....


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## Philb1965 (Jun 29, 2010)

DrDax said:


> No hosepipe ban in East mids
> 
> Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2


I'm east mids (northants) and we still have the ban unfortunately.


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## alexjb (Feb 13, 2011)

I can't really vote because I don't have a ban where I live. Although a very large proportion of Suffolk does. I'm not sure if I would use it or not. It's hard to say.


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## Natalie (Jan 19, 2011)

We've just been taking our cars to the local jet wash and putting £1 in to use the pressure rinse so we get most of the crud off first, then using buckets/watering cans. Using loads more water than if we used the PW though so we're not washing as much being on a meter


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## mrwall (Jan 31, 2011)

we dont have a ban in Bolton but I would still use it, maybe not for washing my car though, nosey neighbours everywhere

tHE SHOPPING CHANNEL IS ALWAYS ON ABOUT USING A WATER BUTT WITH A HOSE ATTACHMENT, BUT SPRAYING DIRTY WATER AT A CAR?
think I'd secretly fill one with clean water and play dumb!


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## Superspec (Feb 25, 2011)

We don't have a ban where I am but if there was one I would honour it. They are there for a reason.


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## cleancar (Sep 21, 2006)

If they can't see the other end of your hose , who is to say your not feeding it off your water butt ?


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Water companies maybe greedy and inefficient with too much leakage, that doesn't make it right to break the enforced ban, to do so is anti social and selfish. iF my car had to go dirty because of a ban no big deal but with ONR it's not a problem.


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## -Simon- (Oct 29, 2010)

I completely ignore the ban in my area and am loving every minute of excessive water usage from my rainwater harvesting system, plus no spotting tbh the cars have never looked better


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## DrDax (Apr 16, 2009)

Philb1965 said:


> I'm east mids (northants) and we still have the ban unfortunately.


Derbyshire for me, no ban as it's been lifted

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2


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## gary cooper (Jul 27, 2006)

The ban is bloody stupid anyway because you can use as many buckets of water as you want and it will probably be a lot more than you would use with a hosepipe anyway .
I reported a leak to Severn Trent the other day and it is still there after 5 days.


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## JasonH20URF (Mar 30, 2011)

My advice mate

Get a 25 litre drum of water..fill it

Attach a hose pipe to it feedin into your pressure washer 

Bobs your uncle! 

No rules broken just 10 mins longer 

Or move to Devon no ban!


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## Kadir (Jun 14, 2007)

You can never be too careful.

I purchased a Karcher suction hose which works a treat. The downside is having to fill my bucket up. I did have a 50 litre bucket which would have made life a whole lot easier but that got stolen.


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## pxr5 (Feb 13, 2012)

No ban here in the NW. If there was I would most definitley ignore it. Come on we live on an Island with an enormous coastline, with rivers, lakes and water all over the place. We have a temperate climate too, it rains all the time. There is no 'drought', it's a joke to even use that word in this country. It's a failure of a half-decent water management system that is the issue here. Water never leaves this planet.

I was in Saudi not long ago and thet were watering the sand to stop dust...and we have a water ban, oh come on.....!


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## tangledmonkey (Apr 9, 2012)

Superspec said:


> We don't have a ban where I am but if there was one I would honour it. They are there for a reason.





S63 said:


> Water companies maybe greedy and inefficient with too much leakage, that doesn't make it right to break the enforced ban, to do so is anti social and selfish. iF my car had to go dirty because of a ban no big deal but with ONR it's not a problem.


The ban is there for a reason yes, but, that reason is to save water no? As multiple members have found, using a PW uses less water that using buckets and watering can. So surely that defeats the purpose, and using the PW instead would be helping to save water more than using the bucket/watering cans


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## Crash Master (Feb 5, 2012)

Ahhh I have a dirtworker, cheers I know what to do now if the ban comes to Staffordshire.


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## Mattey h (Apr 19, 2011)

I totally ignored the ban to be honest. Apart from the fact that I pay for my water, the ban is based on the usage of hosepipes years ago, when people used them open ended and wasted water leaving them running. My hose has a hoselock trigger spray gun on the end, and unless you are physically pulling the trigger, then it uses no water. I don't see how that can be wasteful.The idea of a ban is very dated and outmoded.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

tangledmonkey said:


> The ban is there for a reason yes, but, that reason is to save water no? As multiple members have found, using a PW uses less water that using buckets and watering can. So surely that defeats the purpose, and using the PW instead would be helping to save water more than using the bucket/watering cans


This is not about the use of a PW, it is about the use of a hosepipe, two very different things.


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## VenomUK (Oct 13, 2011)

Have done for years! Little ironic when it pours down with rain andbyetvthere is still a ban. Also I pay to use filtered rain water, so I will dam well use it!!


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## Spyder1984 (Feb 24, 2012)

No one told me there was a ban?

I've heard you can run off a water butt with a PW. nothing to say the water butt can't be filled constantly by a mains water supply. ( like the old gravity water tanks found in the loft ) ??


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## Big Buffer (Jan 1, 2011)

How do you find out if your area is under a ban


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## J1ODY A (Nov 28, 2008)

willwad82 said:


> How do you find out if your area is under a ban


look on your water companies website


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

J1ODY A said:


> look on your water companies website


Then ignore it


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## Tips (Mar 27, 2011)




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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

Tips said:


>


I thank you


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## mk6golf (Feb 22, 2012)

As I've said before, when they reduce the rate accordingly for not having the luxury of using the hosepipe then I will stop, but in the meantime....... when prices have gone UP!! I will continue to use it and more often too. I watered the grass last night as well.

We are not on a meter here so use lots of water!


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

I live in a flat so have to use buckets anyway :lol:


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## LittleMissTracy (May 17, 2012)

I'm on a meter (by choice) so don't waste it as I pay for it,(like gas and eletric) my bill is less than half it was on ratable value.
Most of the hose pipe ban is a precautionary as water co's don't want to go into a drought situation, though I doubt it would ever by like 1976 with bowsers.
As for leaks, with any water co, there's insentives to repair, when its extreme cold and dry hot weather. (causes ground movement I believe) Company won't repair a lonley little leak if the water passing is going to be less than the cost of a gang to repair it until the insentive arrives!
Hose pipe bans are targeted for domestic users accross the board, although I have heard that motor bikes are exempt!!! So whether you wash you car, clean you drive path or water your garden, which is really the main target but can't be decriminative, you come under the umbrella.

*sorry for any bad spelling and grammer


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

60p one way connector from Asda and a bit of hose.










One bucket filled with water, elevated making use of the Egyptian discovery of siphoning to keep the hose primed with water, a spare bucket of water, all filled from the tap.










Snow Foam










Wash, rinsed and dried. Lovely...


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## tangledmonkey (Apr 9, 2012)

Nice little setup there shiny, what's the connector from asda for? A hose lock clippy type thing? How long does that bucket of water last through the PW? 

Sorry for all the questions lol!


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

The connector has a little plug inside which opens the flow one way and closes the flow the other. I used it as a method of keeping the hose primed with water so it didn't drain out after each use (which would have been a pain with snow foam). 

I bought a couple more black buckets now to use as top ups, get through one bucket for the sf and one bucket per rinse, so about 4 buckets in all including the wheels.


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## Bmwjc (Apr 2, 2012)

ITHAQVA said:


> If there was a ban in my area & still loads of leaks = yes :thumb:
> 
> If there was a ban & the water companies fixed most of the leaks = No :thumb:
> 
> They would get compliance from me if i considered them fit to look after the water in my area, if I didn't think them fit, then **** em! :thumb:


Are you aware that by fixing one leak normally results in another leak due to the increase in water pressure. It's cheaper in some cases to leave the leak (and it's the small ones we don't see but hear about in the media people complain about) than repairing them all constantly. We should also take into account where a leak is sometimes just goes straight back into the system. Fix it and then 600yards down the line the pipe blows and floods your house and you would be fuming!

Off course we could demand they replace the entire network but I guarantee you wouldn't be impressed with the price of your water.

Answer to original question. I use my pressure washer once a week recently with rain water but if that runs out I will use a hose. I'm on a meter a pay for what I use.


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## beretta man (Jun 1, 2011)

pressure washers use 80% less water than hose pipes either way. Do it at night (wash the car!)


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

If you're on a meter how can they legally stop you doing something with the water? When it's passed the meter it's your property, it's like having a tv and not being allowed to watch bbc2.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Bmwjc said:


> Off course we could demand they replace the entire network but I guarantee you wouldn't be impressed with the price of your water.


That should be done from their operating profits (which are immense), water is a right not a commodity.


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## alfajim (May 4, 2011)

cleaned a mates a7 last week. big bloody car and couldn't be bothered to keep filling the water can up, so used the hose.


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## Bmwjc (Apr 2, 2012)

bigmc said:


> That should be done from their operating profits (which are immense), water is a right not a commodity.


Not big enough to replace an entire network.

Ever researched the cost involved in shutting/partially blocking a road through the council, creating a diversion? I'm happy with my current rates cheers!


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## chunkytfg (Feb 1, 2009)

I sort of ignore the ban!

My parent have rainwater harvesting tank so I go to there place to wash it although technically as it has a mains top up system it still comes under the ban however my mum has a blue badge so is exempt from it and as she is unable to wash her own cars I beleive I am 'allowed' to use the hose pipe to wash 'her' car .

plus they live in the back of beyond so no one sees anyway


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Bmwjc said:


> Not big enough to replace an entire network.
> 
> Ever researched the cost involved in shutting/partially blocking a road through the council, creating a diversion? I'm happy with my current rates cheers!


They're only responsible for their own areas though, not nationwide. Thames water posted £208.5M profit last year, more than enough to make significant improvements to their infrastructure. If the utility companies used common sense and did all their under ground repairs at the same time instead of digging the road up 3 times in the months.


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

I ignore it becausee I don't have one , My neighbour did stick his head out a few weeks ago and told me he wouldn't grass me up , I explained we wasn't on a hosepipe ban , he said the whole country was , I told him anglian waters website to go and check my postcode which is also his !!! , Then his wife came out and said the same thing


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## tarbyonline (May 23, 2009)

No water ban in NI, but really if the water companies stopped loosing the water (i.e. fix the leaks instead of taking bonuses) then it wouldn't be so much of an issue over there! A bit of investment in infrastructure wouldnt go amiss either - its not like this is a one off its being going on for as long as I can remember over there! For an island nation I think it is ludicrous that there is only one desalination plant in the UK (opened this year), and surely there should be incentives to encourage ground water levels to rise rather than diverting rain water into drains and sewers. Even with desalination tho the problem still remains that the Midlands are not beside the sea which is why there needs to be some sort of national water grid or partially connected network so the places with lots of water (im guessing Wales and Scotland) can top up supplies in drier regions.

Mind you, statiscally we are very heavy water users in the UK.

Mind you we had our own water shortage last December after pipes burst following cold weather. Some couldn't even flush the toilet for days as there just wasnt water! Luckily the water was still on in my work so I could shower there and they even let me take home drums of water when ours went off (due to them alternating supply) but it was unreal seeing people queuing up with empty containers to get water. 

What im saying is it should be a better situation, but it could be much worse!


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## LittleMissTracy (May 17, 2012)

Water service pipes on your property from your boundary are the owners but the water in it is the water co's until it leaves the out let as in tap to kitchen sink, wash basin, tank etc. This is because water can back syphone and return to the water network, say because of a leak, burst or the fire brigade tapping into a hydrant to put out a fire can all cause negative pressure and if you think a hose filling a bucket of saopy water to wash car or fertilizer for garden got back into water and you drank it who would be the first people you'd blame! Not everyone will fit backflow prevention on there taps or have break tanks, This is water regs and although is mostly aimed to non-domestic, same issues will still affect them. And water is a right, and as far as I'm aware no one will ever be cut off even if they don't pay their bill, eventually they'll get a visit of the baylifts after a process. We also pay for the water to be treated to and from the property.
Massive profits for share holders, its a company that has to make money, but they have to invest as well, all utlities they'll be govened by a watchdog. Unfortinatly they don't do there own work, contractors do, probably a mistake should keep things like that in house, my opinion.
Although hats of for Severn Trent for being able to send water down to East Anglia, its not all doom and gloom.
http://www.stwater.co.uk/severn-trent-could-send-water-to-east-anglia
*forgive my spelling and grammer


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Just a word to the wise about complaining about profits and shareholders etc...

If you have a personal pension, then it's 99% likely that you are one...

Everyone happy for their pension pot to be reduced by quite a margin?!?



:thumb:


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

The Cueball said:


> Just a word to the wise about complaining about profits and shareholders etc...
> 
> If you have a personal pension, then it's 99% likely that you are one...
> 
> ...


Just another excuse to strike lately, no?? Every pension pot is slowly being eroded, final salary pensions aren't financially sustainable.


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## nc35 (Sep 13, 2009)

LOL 

No ban in gods own


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## Zetec-al (Feb 28, 2011)

I see on BBC news thames water are thinking of lifting the ban sooner.


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## JCoxy (Dec 21, 2011)

I've been using wateringcans for the first couple of weeks during our ban (Anglian water) but now as we've just got our old Karcher back in service after years without using it, I just use that now, I feel with the amount of rain we're getting (last night was shocking, roads slightly flooded) and news that some companies have lifted their ban in their part of the country, I don't feel so guilty.

Besides, my paintwork > any hosepipe ban, can't be having my car dirty 

I shall try this setup someone had done a couple of pages back, and have a bucket of water high up with a hose into a PW, but I doubt that'll work, the PW will constantly make noises as its trying to suck water..


edit: it depends where you are, and if you can get away with it, my parent's have just bought a small, but overall big campervan, I use that now to block in my car so no one can see me from the gate, simples!


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## Gruffs (Dec 10, 2007)

Prism Detailing said:


> We dont have a hosepipe ban in Scotland, and would be exempt when in cambs....so im fine...but tbh most of the time Ill use Chemical Guys Ecosmart RU or my dirtworker.


No Ban if supplied by Cambridge Water Company :thumb:

However.

As i am on a meter and I buy every drop that comes out of the tap, if i want to use the hose to flush the sewer i bloody well will. I can't see how they could prosecute me and have it stand up. It's MY water, i have bought it and i pay the water board to dispose of it as well.

If they want to lower the level of service i get, they can drop the price. this applies to rates too.

The rivers in Cambs are as high in June as i can ever remember. The6y should be pumping the water out of those into the reservoirs. But they don't make money by having too much water do they? If they had too much, then they would have to drop the price as the demand would be less. Far be it for me to accuse the water companies of creating demand and profiteering.

The Lake at Mepal Outdoor centre is high too. If that is high, then the reservoirs *should* be the same. There is plenty of water.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Gruffs said:


> As i am on a meter and I buy every drop that comes out of the tap, if i want to use the hose to flush the sewer i bloody well will. I can't see how they could prosecute me and have it stand up. It's MY water, i have bought it and i pay the water board to dispose of it as well.
> 
> If they want to lower the level of service i get, they can drop the price. this applies to rates too.


I've wondered about this, if you are on a meter then whatever passes the meter is legally yours to do with as you wish surely??


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