[Swing Swang]

My understanding of hose pipe ban is that you cannot water the garden with it, but you can use a hosepipe to convey water to a water butt. I now have a water butt at each end of the allotment which I keep topped up. I water my plants with a watering can-it's not so wasteful. Occasionally I add nutrients to the water butt and feed at the same time.

They don't have to be big=I use obsolete refuse bins with lids.

So does this mean that I can fill my butt up with a hose which is strategically placed on the highest point of my plot, then gravity-irrigate from the butt with drip feeders/leaky hoses etc?

[Yorkie]

If the ban comes into force in your area, I doubt that that would be OK.  You are still using the hosepipe to fill a container / water plants, albeit indirectly.  You can put water directly into watering cans.

[DD.]

The hose pipe ban means applying what the average person in the street would think of it. If you want to apply your own thinking, you are liable to what your supplier thinks of your thinking.

Where's common sense gone with this, for goodness sake?

[mumofstig]

one summer many years ago we had a hosepipe ban and OH diverted the bath water from the downspout into a large tub.  It soon filled the tub but unfortunately the smell was horrendous after a couple of days.  It made the area at the back of the house really stink so it was disconnected and we've never collected it since.  Seems such a waste.

I do remember however there is some type of additive you can add to water buts containing grey water that neutralises the smell but simply can't remember what its called.  Anyone out there got any idea what it is .

yes the water starts to smell there is bacteria in bath water as well as soap/detergents, it's best used directly on the garden. I think some Citrox may help to keep it smell-free for a few days 

http://www.allotment-garden.org/greenhouse/Garden_Tools/garden-383.html

[Aunt Sally]

There is a £1,000 fine if you get caught using a hose for an unauthorised purpose, so is it worth cheating ?

[Aunt Sally]

These are the Southern Water resteictions:

http://www.southernwater.co.uk/pdf/environment/waterResources/droughtRestrictions.pdf

and South East Water:

http://www.southeastwater.co.uk/pls/apex/f?p=101:536:0

[JayG]

Some good advice there about conservation, but also some big potential loopholes for those determined not to play the game fairly! 

Can see sales of goldfish increasing in both areas, and people over 65 experiencing a huge increase in their popularity in the SE Water area! 

[joyfull]

and here is what you can and cant do in the Anglian water area:-

http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/environment/water-resources/E90894F6CB2546F88BFF82408F9B81CE.aspx

[mumofstig]

I have just emailed SE water to query allowed use of hosepipe/hand siphon set-up for drainage of bath water, before I order one 

It would be my luck to get fined for something that was using grey water 

[arugula]

Jeremy Vine had a discusion on this subject yesterday during the first hour of his radio show (iplayer radio 2).. One man phoned in to say that during a previous hosepipe ban he was syphoning used bathwater out through the bathroom window by means of a hosepipe to use in the garden and the inspector came along and informed him that this practice was illegal, due to there being a hosepipe ban..

[joyfull]

that's stupid isn't it 

[arugula]

It does seem so...

[RobbieG83]

Good news in this region rain is expected friday and saturday

[allot2learn]

The way that it was explained to me last year, when I phoned NW water, is that I can use a hose to transport water, ie: to fill a water butt. I cannot use a hose to apply the water to plants or onto the soil.
I made a note of the name of the person I spoke to. 

[mumofstig]

interesting that SE Water lists as one of its
restrictions

Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe

but gives the
Concession

Watering with water efficient watering systems drip or micro irrigation.

so that may be the way to go .......just a thought