Cinnamon Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Oh joy - Spring has barely sprung & we in the south east are already faced with a hosepipe ban Can anyone remind me of the rule regarding animals & livestock? I seem to remember that we can still use one to water our hens - is this right? I have found lots on what you can't do,but nothing on what you can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Yes, livestock are exempt from the ban. My water butts are full to the brim, so no shortage here. Having said that, the local reservoir has only been half full all winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Yeah,my butts are all brimming over too,so that is the greenhouse taken care of at least My little stream is still going great guns too,but the water table is very high here. So glad I can still use the hosepipe for the hens though - I didn't relish trudging all the way down the garden with a watering can to fill 3 Superglugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I feed the drinkers by hand, just take them up to the outside tap, but it's the cleaning out I'm more concerned about. I gave the cube a good jet wash at the weekend just in case..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Our outside tap is probably further than the house I will be scrubbing out this weekend too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 You can use the hosepipe for cleaning animal housing, but not a pressure washer. I'm thinking of typing up a little slip explaining this, and popping it through my neighbours' doors just to avoid any confusion. Hosepipe ban is imminent here. I have two water butts, taking from the garage and the chicken-run, but I really should get one installed to collect run-off from the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I have 3 from the house and could really do with more; I just don't have the room to put them. You can get solar powered water butt pumps to get the water out of the butt with sufficient pressure to power a hose. I'd love one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I really feel for everyone, especially with animals and growing vegetables, I lived in Kent for a long time including 1976 and know how hard it can be. Of course for us in Scotland we have had an abundance of water over the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 then ban is on the use of the hosepipe not the water, unless the law has been changed that means you can't even use a hose pipe from a water butt or from the bath to the water butt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 We are just outside of the hosepipe ban I was having visions of me using a watering can to clean the Eglu! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Under Section 36 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, a hosepipe ban can only stop: (a)watering a garden using a hosepipe; (b)cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe; ©watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe; (d)cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe; (e)filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool; (f)drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use; (g)filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe; (h)filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain; (i)cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe; (j)cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe; (k)cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Potts Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I don't have an outside tap, pressure washer or a hosepipe I use two large buckets of hot soapy water (1 for scrubbing inside Classic, perches etc and other bucket for scrubbing food bowls) and then have a watering can of hot water for rinsing. It helps if I get everything prepared first before I start. I would love an outside tap - that's on my list of top ten must haves. Mrs Potts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I use buckets and watering cans too - ban or no ban. It sounds daft, but it took a whole summer before I realised how very much lighter a plastic bucket is when full of water, than a galvinised watering can As for water butts - I have 2, but alas I also realised that same summer that they don't keep my plants going for very long. Since then it has been lavenders, lavenders and more lavenders One thing though that really gets me is the continual emphasis on private people to reduce consumption when some of the big firms use vast quantities un-necessarily. My home is on the edge now of a sizeable developement and oceans of water are being used for concrete mixing. Even worse there is a sort of tank lorry that goes up and down the same road washing it clean once every couple of hours with jets of water (not brushes), even when it is raining or when there is no mud at all. Now that is what I call wasting water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Typical as soon as I get a power washer its banned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I couldn't agree more Chubby Chook. However (and I'm not condoning this in any way, just explaining) most contractors are bound by contract to keep the access roads of their site clear of mud to prevent any skidding or accidents. A big use of water but it's done to keep the H&S people and the local residents happy. ....Even worse there is a sort of tank lorry that goes up and down the same road washing it clean once every couple of hours with jets of water (not brushes), even when it is raining or when there is no mud at all. Now that is what I call wasting water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy049 Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Does anyone know what the punishment is for breaking a hosepipe ban? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Probably a fine... and the disapproval of your neighbours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Does anyone know what the punishment is for breaking a hosepipe ban? A person who contravenes a prohibition—(a)is guilty of an offence, and (b)is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. A Level 3 fine is a fine of £1000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 See this site http://www.hosepipeban.org.uk/ H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 They were talking about this on the radio yesterday, and it was said that there has never been a conviction and fine for hosepipe use, people have always got away with a warning. It seem from the discussion yesterday that quite a few people have been warned about hoses attached to water butts, baths etc, it is the hose use rather than the water that is covered by the ban. I use a bucket to clean out my hen houses and the Eglu gets jet washed once a year when the paths are done, we only really do the paths because we are worried about our pet carer slipping on the algea and suing us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I usually bucket was the cube/eglu too but do a jet wash every 2-3 months. Once a year I take the whole thing apart and jetwash it, then spray, powder and re-assemble. I have no problem with bucket washing it all summer if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 It just seems really bizarre to me that it is the hose that is banned no matter what supply it is connected to. We need to wash cars at work to return to customers when they are done and use a hose/pressure washer for this sometimes - however all water used is collected rain water and not from the mains supply. I don't see how they can regulate you using water collected yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 I didnt use my hosepipe all winter for fear of the outside tap freezing and breaking (as it did last year ) so I for one will not be missing my hosepipe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 We need to wash cars at work to return to customers when they are done and use a hose/pressure washer for this sometimes - however all water used is collected rain water and not from the mains supply. I don't see how they can regulate you using water collected yourself Businesses are exempt so washing cars at work to return to customers, no matter what the supply, would probably be OK. I heard on Oxford radio today that hoses used for livestock (including back garden chickens) is OK too but somehow I still feel uncerain on that score. (Thanks Dogmother for the explanation about the road washing. It did make me feel a whole lot less peeved with the builders if not with the elf and safety laws ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 It's wet enough around here that my garden won't need watering for months. The Sor Brook was really high when I walked that way at the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
