[Markw]

These are Thames waters restrictions, it looks like you can still use drippers The way I read it you can still wash down for health and safety issues such as pet areas. chichens ducks etc.

http://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/corp/hs.xsl/15443.htm

[Auntiemogs]

Drippers are great (especially when used with a timer) and are quite cheap to buy on fleabay...

[Lawrence]

Borehole / Well? 

How much is it to get one in these days?

Maybe if everyone clubbed together (If in an association etc), could that be a way?

I heard a story on this just a few weeks ago on radio Kent.
From memory it was about £8000 for a borehole.
You are able to pump 20,000 litres per day for free!

Yesterday they were talking about the ban, all of the companies who serve Kent said the same thing.
No hoses on allotments, no filling of water butts using a hose, no filling of ponds or paddling ponds or swimming pools using a hose.
Your area may vary, but that is what we have to live with.
P.S.
On my way home I stopped at B&Q to get the new tradepoint catalog I passed a lady at the checkout buying a lawn sprinkler and a very nice spray gun

[Auntiemogs]

Just got a reply from Southern Water:-
Firstly, may I say that there are some concessions in place and are decided on an individual basis.  This would capture the elderly, disabled and those with mobility problems.  Please let me know if you think you may qualify under these criteria, and we will be happy to consider this further.
 
Secondly, the restrictions that have been put in place are primarily to curb the use of hosepipes and therefore have exempted the use of Drip Irrigation Systems. These are however subject to some stipulations, they must not be a handheld system, and they must place the water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist.
 
I hope this has answered your enquiry but if you would like anymore information than please visit our website www.southernwater.co.uk or alternately you can contact me directly on 01903 272850.

Yours sincerely,
 
Marie MacBain
Customer Relations Advisor
 

[Yorkie]

That's really useful Auntiemogs 

It isn't currently clear whether the other water companies will have the same rules - just be cautious elsewhere before relying on Southern Water's response.

[Ivor Backache]

No hoses on allotments, no filling of water butts using a hose, no filling of ponds or paddling ponds or swimming pools using a hose.

I am in N. Wales and may not have to worry just yet. I have read the regs. downloaded from 3 water companies. I cannot see anything about filling water butts with a hosepipe.
I do like the consession to over 65's. They are some of the fittest people in the country.

[Mrs Bee]

No hoses on allotments, no filling of water butts using a hose, no filling of ponds or paddling ponds or swimming pools using a hose.

I am in N. Wales and may not have to worry just yet. I have read the regs. downloaded from 3 water companies. I cannot see anything about filling water butts with a hosepipe.
I do like the consession to over 65's. They are some of the fittest people in the country.

My mum is 81  a keen gardener looking after a garden of 160 foot. She is fitter than all of us, but will tell her aboiut the concessions for the elderly. She can put on  a good old lady act

I fully expect a torrent this weekend as it the first time this year I shall be out selling on my stall.

[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 

Just received this reply

Thank you for emailing the Customer Service Team on 14th March 2012 
You are entitled to use your hosepipe to siphon bathwater onto your vegetable plot, as the hosepipe is not connected to a tap, and is assisting with the recycling of your water. 
 

So I'm off to buy a hand siphon 

[8doubles]

Words of wisdom from Freddie Forsyth in the Daily Express today, forget about the HS2 rail line that we do not need and spend the £30 BILLION on a water distribution network that we DO need!

Mr Frederick Forsyth will you be our next Prime Minister please ?

[moose]

We could also have made better use of the money spent on sending rockets to the moon and mars looking for water!

[viettaclark]

I think I can understand the being able to fill butts with a hose. You can only empty them bit by bit with a watering can. Basically it's the same as taking a watering can full from the tap!!!!
So.....can I get a couple of butts to go down next to my beds and fill them up with the hose? That would be great!!! I've got arthritis in my knees and it's a long trek up and down.....I'm also putting a butt outside the back door for grey water which could be pumped down.
Now....power showers.....how to save that water.......?

[mumofstig]

please read this thread before using a hosepipe to fill a butt.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=91104.msg1014433#msg1014433

[viettaclark]

According to the Southern Water information posted here there is no restriction (as yet) on filling up a water butt using a hose.
Ponds (with no livestock) paddling pools etc. but no mention of water storage!

[mumofstig]

but there is when you delve further into the restrictions, sorry 
If you look here
http://www.southernwater.co.uk/Environment/WaterResourcesLatest/Drought2012FAQ.asp

In the garden question no 27 when clicked for the answer says

27. Can I use a hosepipe to fill a watering can or water butt to water my garden? 


No. You are not able to use a hosepipe to fill a watering can or water butt with mains water for this purpose. We do, however, encourage all of our customers to make use of water butts to collect rainwater, which can then be used to water the garden with a watering can or a pump direct from the water butt.

[Markw]

I am always a stickler for reading the rules as some times they work for you.

Item 35

Health or Safety includes removing or minimizing any risk to human or animal health or safety; and preventing or controlling the spread of causative agents of disease.

So I would assume that you could wash any surface that has been fowled by a pet or other animal / chickens/ rat. to stop any , or to clean an area that could contain disease on virus. 
that would be a risk to other persons who live at the dwelling , or people who visit.