Would you be affected by a hosepipe ban?

There are still many homes that don’t have a water meter, and installing meters where practical would save a lot of water. I hate to see waste too.

Our council does offer subsidised water butts but I was not keen on the design and managed to pick up a couple at a discount price from a local supplier.

Why would installing meters save water?

If everyone was metered, companies could charge whatever they liked, regulate how much you could have in periods of drought, and it would mostly be the less well off who would suffer.

We need to manage available water better. Our authorities are responsible for wasting far too much. Fix the leaks for a start. But most of all, distribute rain water to where it is needed most instead of letting it all run out to sea and especially from flood areas before it has a chance to damage properties.

I cannot comment on charges but it’s fairly obvious that if you have to pay for water you might use less. Your post reminds me that there is a leak on the road into town. I shall check the exact location and report it.

Water is moved around the country but it is necessary to store large amounts in lagoons or reservoirs when floods are threatened. The cost is high and flood risk areas are being built on despite warnings that this will increase flood risk.

I looked at the leak yesterday evening and saw that the it is coming through a pavement and the primary source has been marked in blue. The website does not show a leak at that location so it’s probably been repaired and started leaking again.

I’m surprised that those living near the leak have not complained because the water has been running down one of the roads for more than a month. It was easy to report online and I’m assured that someone will investigate within 48 hours.

Its crazy that we use fresh water to flush the toilet

I am sure systems for storing grey water for domestic re-use will become available over time but a pump, a tank, possibly a filter, and additional plumbing will be required. It will be essential to prevent human consumption by some means.

Alternatively, drink less and reduce the need to go to the loo.

Actually, there’s more than enough water available for this function – there are worse wastes of drinking water [washing the car or cleaning the patio for example].

Perhaps one should only flush the loo when you ‘need to’?

I reported a leak to the local water company recently and apart from an automated reply received no further information and when nothing appeared on their map of leaks I requested a call back. Apparently it has been investigated and nothing will happen for more than a month because carrying out the repair will involve a road closure and diversions. I’m told that it’s not a problem because the water is flowing into the street drains and is therefore recycled. That’s all right then.

I don’t think we should compromise hygiene in the bathroom – there are plenty of unnecessary uses of water to deal with before we start restricting people’s use of the toilet.

On which subject, a friend of mine was talking about her forthcoming bathroom refit and how she was going to keep her existing toilet because it delivers a decent flush; she complained that the modern cisterns are designed to discharge much less water per flush – even the double flush ones don’t match the old cisterns – so she always flushes twice with the modern types [I realise I could have phrased that better].

I’ll put you in charge of a time & motion survey, John.

I agree that we should not compromise hygiene.

It never fails to amaze me when people lay block paving around a specimen tree in their garden and it dies or fails to thrive. Watering the base is not going to help with most trees, where the roots spread well beyond the canopy. Small trees planted in retail car parks don’t usually do very well.

Yeah this is true, people seem to forget that trees have large root systems.

Oddly though, the trees in my local supermarket car park thrive

I recall there were a lot of subsidence problems in clay areas during the 1976 drought, and also in one particular summer in the 1990’s when tree roots started penetrating the drains in older properties where the joints were no longer watertight and water leaked out.

Perhaps our long-reigning Queen could help.

Most of them are a shower. Perhaps we should apply for some EUrain?

Maybe consider summers like these when buying expensive shrubs 🙂 The essential use for water is for drinking, and if there is a shortage, whoever is at fault, the aim should be to slake people’s thirst first.

So, Malcolm……..according to you ALL Garden Centres must close immediately and people lose their jobs in the process!!!! I have had these Rose plants for a while and drove down to Austin Roses in Shropshire to purchase! The place has hundreds of visitor’s a week and the owners’ win Gold medals every year at Chelsea and again just recently, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show………therefore you are advising all these horticultural events and businesses must close there doors too……ridiculous! You sound like an apologist for the water companies?

No David, I am simply saying when there is a water shortage, there are priority users. I would suggest collecting waste water from baths, showers, sinks to water private plants if, and when, there is a drought and hosepipe ban declared. Have you seen the crops that are dried up because of the drought, cattle that lack grass and giving reduced milk yields and income for farmers? Vegetable crops that will fail?

I bought a lot of roses years ago from Percy Thrower’s garden centre in Shrewsbury, when he owned it. They were all in containers, healthy, but with a lot of weeds (that didn’t bother us). As we walked to the checkout with a trolleyful, Percy came rushing up to us and said “you can’t take those in that condition!”, and proceeded to thoroughly weed every pot. He then helped load them into the back of our Mini. We still have most of them.

Your neighbours might tell on you…….

And… what exactly can they do?

There’s a theoretical fine of up to £1k if a court finds you guilty.

While waiting for rain it might be a good time to invest in some water butts.

Our 80 Gallon cask has been empty for some time, now. Even given our ample supplies from the mountains, it can’t last for ever. The springs are becoming somewhat feeble just now.

I have fitted one for a friend this morning. I had three butts but one developed a leak before the drought and I did not get round to replacing it. Once the last of the water is exhausted I will take the opportunity to level the paving that has sunk under the weight of all the water. Let’s all cross our fingers and wish for rain.

I’ve got a friend like that – there’s always three “but’s . . . “

Total water n**i’s, typixal Torries!

I already have 2, one on my house and one on the lodge

The water companies have invested in equipment to move water around and this is presumably why we see fewer hosepipe bans than in previous years. Building more reservoirs is extremely expensive and that would mean even higher water bills. We could save some money by paying senior staff a bit less: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jun/05/water-companies-pay-national-scandal-gmb-union-says

Small domestic pressure washers don’t actually use much water. I started feeding mine from a water butt a couple of years ago and it’s surprising how economical it is.

It seems that your surface water drainage is going into the waste water system. This is sometimes unavoidable with older properties but, thankfully, recently built houses have to have separate systems and surface water is usually either fed to a soakaway within the grounds of the property or carried via the water company’s drainage system to watercourses. An additional problem is that some householders have had extensions and alterations carried out [like shower rooms in bedrooms] where, for economy and convenience, the waste has been directed to a rainwater downpipe from where it can feed into the watercourses.

Disposing of non-degradable products down the loo is another major problem; even things marked “flushable” can cause blockages.

Di – It might be worth having your drains investigated. I expect that John is right but there may be some problem that should be fixed. Before I moved into my previous house I learned that there had been a misalignment problem with the sewer for homes that had been built seven years earlier. That was fixed before I moved in and I don’t recall any problems during the time I lived there. I’m sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience.

K Phillips’s comment refers to the Intro which was published on 4 July. The Thai boys have been stuck in the underground caverns since 23 June. It is an unfortunate juxtaposition but I am sure it was not intentional and it could have been the result of a long lead time in producing the article and uncertainty over when it would be released [although the drought is extremely topical and the question of a hosepipe ban is completely up-to-date]. Whether the Intro should now be amended is a matter of editorial judgment but I think it should at least be considered. The article would make no less sense without the cave reference.

Unfortunate coincidences happen. I doubt this was intentional.

Have you tried this? I don’t know whether wind is essential https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi4mTKufky0
If you were planning a picnic or hanging out your washing, and the BBC mentioned a 1% chance of rain, and it did rain, then I guess you’d be even more upset with them. They can’t really win.

If you could check it out for me that would be helpful. :-). We did have fine rain for a short time this afternoon but it was over in ten minutes.

I hope you rang local BBC and congratulated them. I’m sure they try hard to please.

Not a drop in the east for weeks now. The grass stopped growing some time ago but the weeds persist unfortunately. I can’t root them out and I am not sure whether I should spray them in these conditions.

Even the weeds have been struggling here. It was so dry yesterday afternoon that I got out the hose for the first time since the drought started and seven hours later we had a downpour. Fingers crossed that you will get your share soon, John.

I bought a new lawnmower just before the drought started. Apart from demonstrating it to mrs r it has not been out of the shed since. I’ve saved fuel and avoided pollution. Most of my “lawns” (wee=ll, flat areas covered in green stuff) are now largely yellow/brown. It is surprising to see some green patches and some grass that continues to grow, presumably Rye, that makes the lawns look untidy.

One good shower, the whole lot will turn green and I can play with the new toy..

Honda ride-on, per chance?

‘Fraid not. Variable speed Honda 4 wheeler. I did use a Hayter ride-on a couple of years ago but with flower beds, paths, fiddly edges it really wasn’t worth the bother. And I have nowhere to house it unless I evict stuff from the workshop/garage or buy a new shed.. But, I am cheating a little. I have a lot of hedges and grass so now have someone come round for half a day once a month to deal with the hedges, and grass if I’ve let it go, and other jobs as they arise. I’m past the stage of trying to do everything – life’s too short (well, hopefully not).

Not everything seems to have suffered with the drought. I have a clematis that has gone berserk and has produced far more flowers than it did in the last two years.

Climbing plants of all types seem to have gone into overdrive since the wet season earlier. I have had to cut a honeysuckle back because it was overwhelming everything else. I am just hoping my plums will do as well as last year.

A honeysuckle is the one plant I seem to have lost in the drought. It was out of sight between the garage and the road. I will give it a drink but I think I’m too late.