Hose pipe bans

[Sanj]

Not bothered!

My patio done, my drive done, my parents patio - front and rear done.

Bloody hard word tho!

[X5Sport]

Just reading through the latest Auto Express and it appears that Defra have cocked it up again! According to their water saving fact sheet, washing a car takes 540 litres of water!!

http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment ... ngtips.pdf

They have assumed that we will all be leaving our hoses running for at least 30mins and not going near them whilst they blast 18 litres/min all over the drive etc. In tests carried out by AE it was found that a bucket and watering can used 44 litres, and a hoze and jet nozzle just 24 litres.

Defra have refused to justify their figures and say hosepipe bans 'reinforce' the need to be careful! In 2006, water companies saw a 10-15% drop in consumption when bans were in place. That tends to support the lower domestic consumption rates than the Defra tables suggest - or industry uses far more.

Defra obviously believes that those of us on meters are quite happy to pour water away! I've used a jet nozzle for at least 30 years even when not on a metered supply. I don't want water everywhere thank you.

Be interesting to see just how much a snow foam, wash and rinse via a PW uses, but I bet it isn't 540l Probably somewhere between the two methods above.

There was also an article on the local news a couple of days back about water being pumped away from areas with a ban and in to areas with no ban. The water company rep had no answer for that one except it was what the instructions from the Environment Agency told them they had to do. Some wierd logic going on there!

[graemeX5]

As my friend says it's what's called a "feature" of the environment agency.

In fact using a water butt and pw I reckon I will be able to see how much it really does use to wash a car. I always thought it wasn't a lot. Just waiting for my butt.

[X5Sport]

Will be doing the same.... Got three dotted around the place (all on down pipe kits) and a Karcher pump arriving tomorrow so I can shift water from back to front. The PW I have has a suction/pickup hose, or I can just plug a length of hose between the two as they both use a 'Hozelock' type fitting.

What's the betting a neighbour comes over and complains "don't you know there's a ban on?" or reports me! I will take the greatest pleasure in showing either them (or the Water Board) the shut down external tap and the pump and connection kit to the three tanks...

[pvr]

Did you get the same Karcher pump as me?

I will have to put the box of the pump somewhere visible on the drive so when the helicopters fly over (we can't be seen from the road), they can zoom in on the box and save some of the 10k an hour helicopter to go somewhere else.

Still not sure how something can be "illegal" when it involves a private company though.

[X5Sport]

I believe so as you were kind enough to flag it's got a hefty discount on it.
I thought about printing out 'Karcher Demo Centre - bring your own water' on a banner.......

The legal bit probably survives from when they were all public back in the 20th Century....but I know what you mean.

On telly up here tonight people not on meters were asking for refunds and being told they weren't going to get one! The last ban in East Anglia lasted more than 400 days. You could probably grow spuds on some cars after that.

[storminmike]

[quote=""pvr""]Did you get the same Karcher pump as me?

I will have to put the box of the pump somewhere visible on the drive so when the helicopters fly over (we can't be seen from the road), they can zoom in on the box and save some of the 10k an hour helicopter to go somewhere else.

Still not sure how something can be "illegal" when it involves a private company though.[/quote]

They're regulated businesses even if they're private and have to abide by OFWAT and DWI regulations. Water Supply is covered by Acts of Parliment

[coughs] works in the water industry[/coughs]

[Chompers]

Thankfully no water ban for this part of the country yet

[535dboy]

[quote=""Chompers""]Thankfully no water ban for this part of the country yet [/quote]

Really?

Group car washing sessions at yours then!

[Chompers]

Covered by Portsmouth water who state the ground water levels are ok, for the minute. Was the same case last time round, happy to lend out hosepipe for car washing in return for a blast in the 'rocket'

[535dboy]

[quote=""Chompers""]Covered by Portsmouth water who state the ground water levels are ok, for the minute. Was the same case last time round, happy to lend out hosepipe for car washing in return for a blast in the 'rocket' [/quote]

Problem is it would be dirty by the time I got it home again

[pvr]

Well, it would be at the moment as it is p*ssing down again. How ironic on the first day of a hosepipe ban that it is raining

I notice the water companies keep going on about the dry winters, perhaps they had forgotten that the last 3 "barbeque" summers were wash out

Reading the foreign newspapers (as one does), the general opinion there is that the (laughable) ban is caused by underinvestment.

[Chompers]

[quote=""pvr""]Well, it would be at the moment as it is p*ssing down again. How ironic on the first day of a hosepipe ban that it is raining

I notice the water companies keep going on about the dry winters, perhaps they had forgotten that the last 3 "barbeque" summers were wash out

Reading the foreign certificate de conformite one does), the general opinion there is that the (laughable) ban is caused by underinvestment.[/quote]

Here, here to the first 2 comments.

And as for the 3rd, is that not the story for every other utility service in this country

[pvr]

What the hell is "the certificate de conformite " bit in your quote? Slip of the "paste" button?

[535dboy]

[quote=""pvr""]What the hell is "the certificate de conformite " bit in your quote? Slip of the "paste" button? [/quote]

Could have been worse "www.youporn.co.uk"

In fact you may want that link yourself PVR!