[Brighton] Hosepipe Ban

[FatSuperman]

I

You must be near me then?
Wadhurst has had no water since early Monday morning, we now (as of 30 minutes ago) have water, albeit a funny brown colour.

I’m near the Rec… how about you?

Were we watching the Luton game brother?

 

[HankSkorpio]

https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/about/updates/tubs not imposed until 26th June, whats that mean in plain English?

BBC were saying it starts on 26 June but SE water website states its from now. As does the email I received from them.

 

[nickbrighton]

BBC were saying it starts on 26 June but SE water website states its from now. As does the email I received from them.

there is a ten day "consultation" period during which no fines are issued- so the ban is officially from now, but cant be enforced by fines until the ten days are up-

 

[HankSkorpio]

there is a ten day "consultation" period during which no fines are issued- so the ban is officially from now, but cant be enforced by fines until the ten days are up-

 

[Weststander]

We're surrounded by salt water though - not much use (given the cost of desalination)

I remember the Channel Isles having desalination plants, 40+ years ago.

 

[mikeyjh]

BBC SE just spent a record breaking 20 minutes on this, live from Bewl Water. Reservoir levels are high.

This has been caused by unprecedented demand starting last Saturday. People going mad with their garden hoses on.

A King Canute attitude to gardening. Our climate is rapidly changing, every summer three months of intense heat. We need to adapt to different plants and not be obsessed with an artificially lush lawn.

100% this - Stop and think about it, we're using DRINKING water to keep this stupid 17th century idea that somehow finely cut grass is somehow a thing of beauty! Plant wildflowers, plant drought resistant plants, plant trees. Using this valuable resource like this is nuts.

Oh, and it is absolutely fine to let your car get a bit dusty.

 

[Weststander]

As I understand it, it's not reservoir levels, it's storage and supply of treated water. Must be all the hundreds of thousands of people that suddenly and without warning moved here; I mean if they had any inkling that demand would rise they could have built more treatment/storage capacity.
It's a problem of their own making and I will use the water in my water butts (I've got about 2500 litres dotted around the garden) to water my vegetables. If/when that runs out I'll refill them with a hose at night.

Clever thinking

 

[Questions]

I’ve just bought a new flexy one off Amazon.
So they’re still selling them

 

[Weststander]

100% this - Stop and think about it, we're using DRINKING water to keep this stupid 17th century idea that somehow finely cut grass is somehow a thing of beauty! Plant wildflowers, plant drought resistant plants, plant trees. Using this valuable resource like this is nuts.

Oh, and it is absolutely fine to let your car get a bit dusty.

That suits me, I've only ever cleaned my car about every 9 months maximum.

I give up my attempt at a 'perfect' lawn/football pitch this autumn. This is the first year I haven't put weed-n-feed on it, the moment the ground's soft I'm preparing it to become an orchard and a chalk downland meadow with Yellow Rattle also.

 

[WATFORD zero]

That suits me, I've only ever cleaned my car about every 9 months maximum.

I give up my attempt at a 'perfect' lawn/football pitch this autumn. This is the first year I haven't put weed-n-feed on it, the moment the ground's soft I'm preparing it to become an orchard and a chalk downland meadow with Yellow Rattle also.

I'm now looking at alternative 'lawns' (to the straw I currently have) for my garden

 

[Muhammad - I’m hard - Bruce Lee]

I

I’m near the Rec… how about you?

Were we watching the Luton game brother?

Top of Queens Cottages.
I’ll be in my new seat in the WSU for Luton

 

[happypig]

100% this - Stop and think about it, we're using DRINKING water to keep this stupid 17th century idea that somehow finely cut grass is somehow a thing of beauty! Plant wildflowers, plant drought resistant plants, plant trees. Using this valuable resource like this is nuts.

Oh, and it is absolutely fine to let your car get a bit dusty.

As I previously said, I have about 2500 litres of rainwater in several water butts. I use it to water all the vegetables in the greenhouse, in tubs and beds. This is part of my food supply for the summer/autumn (I've got spuds, onions, garlic, chiilies, tomatos, sweetcorn, peas, beans, strawberries, cucumbers, melons and probably other stuff). I'll be buggered if I'll let it all die because SE water haven't invested enough in infrastructure.
Agree about the grass and car washing though

 

[dazzer6666]

I remember the Channel Isles having desalination plants, 40+ years ago.

Yep, but use was limited and they could afford it

 

[Guy Fawkes]

BBC SE just spent a record breaking 20 minutes on this, live from Bewl Water. Reservoir levels are high.

This has been caused by unprecedented demand starting last Saturday. People going mad with their garden hoses on.

A King Canute attitude to gardening. Our climate is rapidly changing, every summer three months of intense heat. We need to adapt to different plants and not be obsessed with an artificially lush lawn.

As long as the gardens are not then paved, which stops water soaking into the ground, and also leads to more water heading into the sewage systems to be treated (and we know how poor they are at that and likely to end up with more untreated spills into our waterways)

 

[Triggaaar]

https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/about/updates/tubs not imposed until 26th June, whats that mean in plain English?

It means they are lying about a ban starting now and are trying to scare people into submission a week before the ban really starts.

I read it as 'Hey everyone, we're a bit low on water and will need a ban shortly, so quickly water your plants, wash your cars, and fill your pools and water butts while you still can'.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Apparently Southern water aren't following suit....or so I've wanted to hear

 

[BrightonCottager]

Apparently Southern water aren't following suit....or so I've wanted to hear

There's a useful Southern Water hosepipe ban checker here https://www.southernwater.co.uk/drought-restrictions
Nothing in Brighton...yet. Its raining now (yay) although I doubt it'll refill the water butts. Southern Water have plans for a new reservoir over Portsmouth way and are looking at options including desalination plants this way.
EDIT: plans include reducing household use to 100 litres/ person / day (currently about 120) . More here: https://www.southernwater.co.uk/media/2266/business-plan-20-25-summary.pdf

 

[happypig]

The hosepipe ban would appear to be unenforcible in East Sussex.
The Flood and Water Management Act (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/29/section/36) says

Before the period for which a prohibition is to apply the water undertaker must give notice of the prohibition and its terms—
(a)in at least two newspapers circulating in the area to which it is to apply, and
(b)on the water undertaker's internet website.

but SE Water seem to only have put notices in Kent Messenger, Kentish Express and Kentish Gazette on 22/06/2023.

So having failed to comply, they cannot enforce.