[Cheshire Phill]

You know what? I could ask the council, and I'm quite keen on my veg, but I agree, if there is a ban, I think I'll stop using the hose rather than get around it.

What actually hacks me off is the inefficiency of the water companies, and the fact that lots of other, drier, arid places manage to use their water much more effectively...I've never seen hoses banned on Tenerife, Costas etc. etc. Grrrr...

(yes, I know its tourism and they need the income etc. etc. ..)

Come on rain!! What a change from this time last year!!

Phill 

[mumofstig]

We have taps at our allotment but we are never allowed to use hosepipes as it does waste a lot of water that is metered and costly.  Watering cans are OK and most plants (except starting off seeds) don't need lots of water.

I suppose your attitude to this would depend on just how far away you are from the standpipe. Watering with a can is easy if you are near one..........not so good if it is a long way to the tap.

On our site we tend to use hoses to fill the couple of butts that are kept on each plot and fill the watering cans from those....if we can't do that 

[Stevens706]

The United Utilities website states the following

The ban will restrict the use of hosepipes or sprinklers for watering private gardens and washing private cars.  You can still water your gardens with a watering can and wash your vehicles using a bucket and sponge. These methods typically use a fraction of the amount of water a hosepipe or sprinkler uses.

However under the section for commercial customers it states: www.unitedutilities.com/BanCommercial.htm

The ban affects commercial customers in the same way as household customers. If your business has private grounds, the ban prevents you using a hosepipe or sprinklers to water them.
Parks or gardens are exempt if they are either open to the public or charge an entrance fee.
Agricultural activities are exempt as is the watering of produce or plants grown for commercial sale.
Racecourses, golf courses and hotel gardens are exempt.

The question is “is an allotment classed as Agricultural activities”, on one side an allotment isn’t a private garden but it isn’t an commercial venture.

As Clint Eastwood said “do you feel lucky punk”

[Lewjam]

I would just use watering cans.  You will be having to walk a hell of a lot further if they cut the supply to all but street stand pipes as has happend in the past!

Hose pipe bans are enforced when water supplies are running dangerously low - if people ignore them and the problem isnt fixed by extra rain, you will suffer more in the long run.

In areas where stand pipes have had to be used in the past, people are very quick to report people too lazy to fill a can heh.

[toxorebel]

I put it to united utilities on Twitter:

@unitedutilities does the hosepipe ban affect council owned allotments?

Response:  Yes it does however you can still use a watering can.

So it appears it does apply to us - oh well, better go and get another watering can so I can fill two at a time!

[Stevens706]

Well Toxorebel thats cleared it up - thanks

[toxorebel]

Just noticed that somebody else asked:

@unitedutilities Hi, does the hosepipe ban include filling of paddling pools? It used to be ok but not sure if this has changed. Thanks.

To which the response was:  It is still ok as they are not covered by Section 76 Water Industry Act 1991. You can recycle the water after to water your garden.

So it looks like the best option is to fill a large paddling pool with the hose then water from that 

I've just asked if it's okay to full a water butt using a hose.  I don't mind watering with a watering can, but my nearest tap is pretty far so if I could at least fill the butt with the hose it would save me a lot of time and I'd still only be using the same amount of water.

[Babstreefern]

According to the BBC, the ban starts Friday at 06:00 in the NW.  So I will be filling all my water butts and the large water tank that me and my neighbour share.  If only the water companies would build more reservoirs it would solve a lot of problems.  Its not rocket science when the population grows, and you keep to the same amount of reservoirs. that you get water depletion

At least today, its raining

[Knight Family]

If you've got a little money to spend, you can get a pump to stick in your water butt that will easily run a hose pipe. I got one off ebay for about £30. On the allotment (don't have one yet, grrr) if you don't have power, you could run it off a car battery and a small inverter no problem. Mine is sufficient to run a small sprinkler or hose with a rose attachment no problem.

And when the butt's empty? It won't take long using a pump!

You fill the water butt up with buckets of water! LOL nothing wrong with doing that!!!!

[toxorebel]

Okay, well the latest info I've got from UU is that it's okay to fill a watering can OR water butt  using a hosepipe - this is a great relief to me as it's quite a walk to the nearest tap from my plot!

I'm now just wondering how well a post on twitter will stand up in court!

If anyone's interested you can see the responses UU have made to several questions here:

http://twitter.com/unitedutilities

[fatcat1955]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-382129/Hosepipe-ban-The-dos-donts.html
Taken from the Daily Mail, so if you want to water your council run allotment go ahead.

[DD.]

That was dated 5th April 2006!!!!

[fatcat1955]

But there has been no change to the law, a paper would not print about hosepipe bans when there are no bans, that was the last time they were numerous!!!!

[DD.]

It says "Last updated at 16:59 05 April 2006".

Doesn't mean nothing has happened with legislation in the intervening 4 years, just that they haven't updated it.

[diggerjoe]

I am happy with cans - its such a faff getting the hose out at home and winding it back in - no hoses allowed on our plot anyway. At least with cans you feel you doing something rathe than standing there looking into space