Water Bans – Important Information
Several water companies have today implemented a Temporary Use Ban.
Legislation was updated in 2010 and replaces the previous Hosepipe ban legislation. To view this, please visit the following website:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2231/contents/made
The Temporary Use Ban has a much wider scope of restrictions that can be controlled by the Water companies. To ascertain how this may affect you, please check your water companies website or telephone them for further clarification:
Veolia Water: https://central.veoliawater.co.uk/drought.aspx
Thames Water: http://www.thameswater.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/corp/hs.xsl/15371.htm – temporary ban now lifted
The website www.water-guide.org.uk provides links to all other water supplier websites:
http://www.water-guide.org.uk/
Further information:
Several of the water companies are including irrigation with metered mains water of all grass sports surfaces such as golf courses, sports grounds, bowls clubs, cricket, etc, unless hosting a national or international event or on health and safety grounds.
This ban will also prevent filling of sprayers/bowsers with a hose run off the mains supply, with the exception of for the purpose of disease control. Full records have to be kept as to what was sprayed for and why.
More clarification was given in the Thames Water live Q&A session, the results of which include possible health and safety grounds for irrigating, and have been published on the following website:
http://www.thameswater.co.uk/livechat.htm
Please note, this ban only affects metered mains water. Other water supplies such as extraction from boreholes, lakes, reservoirs are not affected by this legislation which are controlled through the Environment Agency. You can keep up to date by visiting their website:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
Please note that irrigation systems using grey water or rainwater recycling systems are also not affected.
STRI recommends the following action:
- Seek further clarification from your water board for exemptions/ health and safety grounds and if necessary legal advice on your position
- Support your case to water
- Read the article below on maintenance during a Drought Order
