Given the recent water company scandals… will you still be obeying a hosepipe ban?
Posted by rsweb@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 143 comments
Opinion from people I’ve spoken to is very mixed on this. Some still feel when it’s hot it’s their role as part of a society to not use a hosepipe when instructed, others still plan to continue using one in response to the water companies failures
Do you plan to stop using a hosepipe when asked? If so, why? If not, why not? Will the proposed introduction of smart water meters change your view (peak pricing etc.)?
Has your view on this changed in recent years?
Gwladys_Street_Blue@reddit
Hosepipe bans have nothing to do with preserving water, if they wanted to do that they would fix all the leaks, it’s pure theatre, everyone gets to play along while grassing on their neighbours, sound familiar? Covidots/Hoseidiots! Businesses are exempt, blue badge holders are exempt, sports clubs are exempt, but anyway let’s all gang up because Jean just watered her roses with a hosepipe, meanwhile Water companies use emergency loans to pay themselves bonuses and people on Reddit fall out with each other over “doing the right thing” 😑
_Taggerung_@reddit
genuinely why are blue badge holders exempt? not having a go at them I just don't see how the two things are correlated. I understand disabled people might struggle to carry a bucket but so would most elderly people.
GreyScope@reddit
Fuck Jean, she doesn’t separate her recycling and her dog poos in my garden
Bonsia413@reddit
In my area no new reservoirs have been built in the last twenty years despite the population growth and the more irregular weather.
Questions haven't been asked.
My waterbill has sky rocketed but I've used the same amount of water.
Questions haven't been asked.
If the city I live in runs out of water, questions will have to be answered.
Fuck the water companies, run the fuckers dry.
Irish_Potatoes_@reddit
If the city you live in runs out of water, people will die
Forever_a_Kumquat@reddit
Unlikely. If the mains water runs out, water from elsewhere will be brought in.
In 2007, the water treatment plant that serviced most of Gloucestershire was flooded. We had no mains water for 3 weeks.
No one died.
The Army, water company and council organised bulk water delivered through bowsers and bottles to each neighbourhood.
Every day we walked down to the end of the road to refill our containers. Those who couldn't, water was delivered directly to them by the Army, police and volunteers from charity's and other organisations.
There are emergency contingencies in place for disruption of the water supply. No city is going to go without any access to water for more than a day or two.
Irish_Potatoes_@reddit
That's one treatment works going down, not a whole region. Which is obviously still really bad, I've been doing emergency works on a treatment site recently to keep it in service.
To go back to the original point, we shouldn't push a situation to an emergency just to send a message
Forever_a_Kumquat@reddit
It was the whole of Gloucestershire
Irish_Potatoes_@reddit
Not many people live in Gloucestershire
Forever_a_Kumquat@reddit
Say what now?? 650k+ is not a lot of people?
I think that potato famine messed up your brain mate.
Irish_Potatoes_@reddit
Water companies cover more than one county, and Gloucestershire is a relatively small county. For example, Lancashire is just one county covered by United Utilities but it has twice the population of Gloucestershire.
So yes 650k is not a lot of people in terms of a water supply region.
Interesting you think no food is bad but no water is a minor inconvenience
Erubadhron89@reddit
Really? Do you actually think that would happen?
Irish_Potatoes_@reddit
Yeah. The average Brit uses over 100l of water a day for drinking, cooking and washing. You're not going to get 100l of bottled water delivered to your door, and neither are you going to carry it from a standpipe. The young and healthy will be uncomfortable but OK. Vulnerable people will die, just like in a heat wave.
On top of that, if the water pipes aren't full and pressurised, contamination can get in. This happens in sub-Saharan Africa where they ration water and turn off the supply every day.
There isn't a magical system that will step in if a region runs out of water, just some stores of bottled water. That said, we aren't going to run out of water, it's just a stupid thing to wish for.
Bonsia413@reddit
Is there an alternative? No infrastructure is being built, no goverment or people actions. Are we not heading to the inevitable anyway? Let it happen before we get hit by a real drought
Irish_Potatoes_@reddit
Infrastructure is being built, it just takes a very long time. I know because I've worked on it
Azuras-Becky@reddit
You know that the water companies don't manufacture the stuff, right?
I agree that water supplies should be nationalised, but if whoever is supplying it to us runs out of water, that's going to be a problem for everybody regardless.
"Run the fuckers dry" = people can't drink water or clean themselves anymore.
Khat_Force_1@reddit
In my area there was a burst water main that occurred in November last year and it took Essex and Suffolk Water 4 weeks to fix it. The main road it was on was closed for 3 weeks while they left it alone causing endless grief and traffic.
I'll care about my water usage when they show me they're doing the same.
Azuras-Becky@reddit
What an insane take.
"I'll waste water because the water companies waste water, even if we don't have the water to waste and I also need water!" I can't believe I'm saying this to an adult, but two wrongs don't make a right.
We can campaign for nationalised water services without screwing everybody over.
Khat_Force_1@reddit
Difference between me and Essex Water is not I'm not carelessly wasting water without a care in the world, I'm simply refusing to reduce what I use.
Azuras-Becky@reddit
You are if you're literally throwing water on the ground when there isn't enough of it to go around.
Khat_Force_1@reddit
The issue you have is that you're making assumptions about my water usage without asking how much water I use or having any proof that I waste water.
I'm simply saying that I refuse to reduce my water usage whilst water companies refuse to maintain pipes, fix leaks quickly and choose to dump waste in clean waters because it saves them money.
I find it pathetic that you're making excuses for it being acceptable for water companies losing 3 billion litres of water per day.
Azuras-Becky@reddit
I'm not making excuses for water companies - I hate them and I think they should be nationalised. It's absurd that they were privatised in the first place. And I don't care about your water usage - if you don't have hosepipes watering your lawn, this doesn't even apply to you so what are we even doing.
I just don't want us to run out of water for the sake of green lawns!
Thatcher's "there is no society" line really worked well on the population of this country, and it's maddening.
And by the way, your "I'm not going to reduce the amount of water I pay for from the companies I hate" shtick really isn't the 'own' you think it is.
NortonBurns@reddit
You run yourself dry at the same time.
Fabulous grasp of logic there.
TheAncientWrongun@reddit
Hijacking this just to pose a question that came to me recently, I don’t really keep up to date with the news and was wondering do the water companies leaflet drop customers to tell them of a ban or do they just post on social media/local news media and hope we see it?
Wild_Shine_1346@reddit
No. Let the water supply be close to 0. Bring the people to the edge. YW needs to be held accountable for not investing into infrastructure development and repair. Shifting all the burden on the consumer is dumb. And people obeying will just make everything to be erased. No consequences for YW, they’ll just continue being scummy. Brb going to take a 3h shower.
HussingtonHat@reddit
The water is more important than the bird shit on your car bro. That doesn't change just because the big wigs running it are bastards.
Wild_Shine_1346@reddit
Bird poop is acidic and can damage your car paint within a week if you don t clean it. Not saying to use water to clean it, there are special products for it but just letting people know that one needs to take action if they have bird poop on their car. Have a good day.
dewittless@reddit
Yeah it's more about water supply than your personal beef. This is a collective issue of looking out for each other, not stubbornly folding your arms.
They should still fine and take over the water supply again.
Historical_Cobbler@reddit
But the golf courses, football venues that use the water of thousands of houses are exempt, and what for?
You can play football and golf on non perfect settings, so why should my children not have a paddling pool setup to enjoy?
It’s not a fair ban.
No_Earth_5912@reddit
Yeah shut down the economy too while you’re at it.
Tasty-Explanation503@reddit
Im not sure shutting down a couple of football pitches and golf courses will kill the economy...
danieljamesgillen@reddit
It would be quite devastating to local jobs, destroying a large local revenue generator. Clubs have pitch standards they must follow etc.
newnortherner21@reddit
Think of all the income Avanti trains and hotels would lose if Manchester United could not play. Mind you, given their recent performances, perhaps a lack of grass could mean an improvement.
PigletAlert@reddit
I’m curious, would they need to shut down? Can’t you play football on yellowed grass? I understand golf has different grass to denote different points on the course. Could these not be marked differently?
No_Earth_5912@reddit
Did I say that?
Tasty-Explanation503@reddit
Your comment implies it, otherwise why say it?
No_Earth_5912@reddit
I’m not going to explain sarcasm to you. I was just illustrating that people thinking they have a right to a paddling pool is rather silly.
zeelbeno@reddit
Does your garden generate revenue and provide people with jobs?
williamshatnersbeast@reddit
I think you’ve found one of the Covid toilet roll hoarders
A_Roll_of_the_Dice@reddit
If the hosepipe ban is about ethically managing resources during a tough time, what's the actual fucking difference? Aside from being infinitely harder for disabled people, of course.
_StormwindChampion_@reddit
Then they should have spent that money on a weather machine
williamshatnersbeast@reddit
Absolutely with you on this, especially if it was the Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator.
Llwynog93@reddit
The FLIMSDFMSER?
williamshatnersbeast@reddit
That’s the badger
Legitimate_Earth4371@reddit
100% 🤣🤣🤣
scraxeman@reddit
"Natural resources exist mainly to create shareholder value."
zeelbeno@reddit
Not defending water companies am I?
I'm just pro people having jobs
scraxeman@reddit
I'm pro people having jobs too, but if we allow water companies an easy cop out they'll keep taking it. Their service obligations should be applied universally.
lopolow@reddit
Quite a lot of these have their own abstraction licences and boreholes. So aren’t taking municipal drinking water. Hose pipe bans really do help to maintain supply to households so everyone can still get through and at least get enough for the basics.
TeaBoy24@reddit
Ah yes. Your kids can't have a paddle pool instead of people losing jobs and other companies losing thousands for damage repairs is "not a fair ban"
Tasty-Distribution75@reddit
Typical comment from the 'me me me' generation.
orange_lighthouse@reddit
You can still fill it up with a bucket.
DarkAngelAz@reddit
It’s not the same thing. Agriculture, sports all provide jobs and income.
strongbowblade@reddit
I will comply, but I do think businesses should be asked to reduce their water consumption. Also it seems silly that I can't use a hose to wash my car but I could pay someone to come and wash it with the exact same water or I could pop up to the local petrol station and use the jet wash.
Academic-Key2@reddit
We can’t just throw away morals because others do. That’s how we’re in this mess!
Glittering_Jump8686@reddit
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
It’s frustrating and angering that water companies take the piss and don’t fix leaks - but disobeying hosepipe bans will only make the water shortages even worse than they are.
It’s basically the anti-mask argument all over again, it brings all the ignorant, self entitled, conspiracy theorist arseholes out.
Hocus-Pocus-No-Focus@reddit
I would fully agree, except these aren’t public resources. They have been privatised, and water companies are trying to run the service on the cheap to increase their profits.
Would you say the same about heating in winter, or having a petrol car, or using a plane. All need to be reduced, but I’m going to guess you are to some degree fine with these.
Personally I think our duty as citizens ends at the point where private companies happily squeeze every drop from what should be a public utility. Re-Nationalise the water companies and we’ll be fully on the same page btw.
Azuras-Becky@reddit
They're public resources in the sense that people need water to live, and if we fecking run out of water that'll cause some problems.
Hocus-Pocus-No-Focus@reddit
We also need food. Let’s say farmers are still farming, foods still being grown, but Tesco refuses to fix its fridges and Lorrie’s because it wants to pay dividends.
Is food a public good at that point? How about when businesses are still allowed to use as much food as they like?
I’m entirely behind the concept of water as a public good. Treat it like one and I’ll be thrilled to act like it is one. But until that point it’s just another part of a rent seeking economy designed to funnel profits towards multi-millionaires.
Azuras-Becky@reddit
Go to Sainsburys instead.
If we end up with water shortages and people suffer as a result, the blood will be on your hands.
I really don't think "let's spend more money on water!" is the big own of water companies that you think it is.
Hocus-Pocus-No-Focus@reddit
Good advice, I’ll up and move my house to another county without water restrictions then. See why it doesn’t work.
I’m not saying use more water, I’m saying g that a private company shouldn’t be supplying a communal public good, especially where there is no alternative. The outcome of this is that I don’t recognise their authority to dictate how water is used. I mean it’s a moot point anyway because water is too expensive to chuck on a garden anyway 🤣
Azuras-Becky@reddit
It wasn't a good analogy. Water is water. The fact that we've commodified it doesn't change how the fecking hydrological cycle functions. If we haven't got enough water, they can't just manufacture more of it.
And I agree, but for now it's the system we have. And when a company is telling you not to spend as much money on their product because they're concerned there isn't enough of it, and people need it to live, it's not the time for grandstanding.
A_Roll_of_the_Dice@reddit
They literally can, though.
Desalination stations and cleaning processes both exist. The former not nearly on the scale required to supply the population, of course, but still... if they invested better in infrastructure and planned properly for these known and repeated issues instead of lining pockets, then that wouldn't be the case, would it?
Hocus-Pocus-No-Focus@reddit
We can change it though by building reservoirs. We can also impose reductions on business such as golf clubs and football clubs at least at the same time. I know the jobs argument etc, but if we can sustain these things, then we shouldn’t have them regardless.they probably also have the space and ability to capture their own rainfall.
Fair enough, it’s not the ideal time for change, but I wouldn’t accept road argue that when people are paying attention is the only time for grandstanding 🤣
AdMysterious7570@reddit
I hope you breathed in real deep in that mask. Knowing that you have plastic fibers embedded in your lungs and airway gives me joy.
ashisanandroid@reddit
Using up what little water there is isn't some sort of Robin Hood 'fight the power' nonsense. It just uses up what little water there is.
No_Earth_5912@reddit
Literally. A few people in the comments are in the ‘I have a right to a paddling pool’ brigade. Small pools are 500L. If your whole street has their own, that’s such a significant supply of clean water wasted. It’s not something to grandstand over.
A_Roll_of_the_Dice@reddit
Some smaller paddling pools use as little as 200L, just for complete transparency and accuracy.
It's still a lot, sure, but less than half of what you stated.
No_Earth_5912@reddit
I was describing a paddling pool bigger than 200L. 500L is still a small paddling pool. For complete transparency and accuracy lol.
HenshinDictionary@reddit
You think it's your moral duty to waste water, do you?
zeoxzy@reddit
I suppose I'd try and find out where my water came from and if levels were actually low. But ultimately low/running out of water would obviously affect me. Seems a bit silly to waste water if I'll end up suffering. Sure, the water company is required to continue to provide clean water. But not much conform if that involves going to collect bottled water fro somewhere.
NortonBurns@reddit
Bottles. Sorry, but that actually made me laugh out loud.
You've obviously never lived through a time when they did actually run out of drinking water. What they do is switch off the entire domestic supply & put stand pipes in the street. You queue to fill up whatever you have to hand for keeping water in.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2007/07/02/drought_1976_archive_video_feature.shtml
zeoxzy@reddit
This was from 50 years ago haha. You're getting bottled water sorry
NortonBurns@reddit
Dream on matey.
They can't get enough water through the interconnected systems already in place to move water to where it's most needed from where there's a surplus…
… yet they can spend the time to bottle some up & drive it to every street.
You're living in a dream world.
zeoxzy@reddit
What do you think happens when there's a disease outbreak and water gets shit off?
You really don't believe the water company don't have stocks of bottled water or that they can't buy from wholesalers?
NortonBurns@reddit
They can do this if one small area goes down, not if the whole country does.
my-comp-tips@reddit
No need to use a hosepipe. Grass in the back garden can wait for some rain. I have a watering can for plants.
Ok_Advantage_8153@reddit
Lots of people here cutting off their and their neighbours noses to stick it to day man.
Selfish and stupid ain't a good look.
baxty23@reddit
I’d rather save water than have a temper tantrum about water executives I have absolutely no connection to or influence over, yes.
MurphyDog1992@reddit
I suspect the only way anything will change is if the problem gets bad enough. If every one of us "does the right thing" covering for the water companies negligence then nothing will change. The problem needs to get worse before the water companies are held to account.
So arguably ignoring the hose pipe ban, making the situation worse is the only way I can see any change happening.
DaveBeBad@reddit
You’ll be the one having to walk down the street with your bucket of water to get the daily allowance from the standpipe if supplies get really low. People seem to forget the bad parts of the summer of 1976.
MurphyDog1992@reddit
Yes this will be shit. But it will only happen once and it will force the government to implement some reform in the water companies.
Real-Butterscotch682@reddit
Having had to collect water from a communal standpipe almost a mile from our house when the village water main burst, I can confirm that this is not fun. Although you get to chat to lots of people.. blitz spirit and all that.
feebleweasel55@reddit
100% the correct answer. Privatising a monopoly was insane to begin with but the water companies have plundered OUR assets, selling off land to boost profits, not investing in infrastructure as they were supposed to, constantly pouring shit into our waterways and pushing bills up for a far worse service. Quite frankly they should be forced to ship water in from other sources and pay their shareholders slightly less. Forcing them to fail is the only way to stop this madness and take back what is ours.
JinxThePetRock@reddit
My water supply and water drainage are through two different companies. The drainage people are showers of shite (literally), and the suppliers are pretty great. My supply bill went down this year. We're even getting a new reservoir. I don't remember the last time we had a hosepipe ban, even though they happen all around us, to the point it's caused arguments and sometimes co-operation between neighbours on the same street separated by supplier borders in the past.
I don't know how or why our suppliers manage to do so well in comparison to many, but I can't help thinking it's because of the division between supply and drainage. If they imposed a hosepipe ban I think most people here would comply because the supply company have built up so much good will over the years.
Herne_KZN@reddit
Yes, because I’m not a completely self-centred shit. The revolting behavior of the water barons is unrelated to that.
Oster-P@reddit
Have you seen the state of the reservoirs?
Used-Ad9589@reddit
Honestly this is one of the exact reasons we have a water butt
TeaBoy24@reddit
What an idiotic take.
"Our water companies did not build enough reservoirs to handle droyht conditions successfully!"
"Let's all ignore the hosepipe ban and use all of the water in reservoirs and strain our water sources more to show those companies who are the boss!!! And if we run out of water faster, we will just blame them even more!!"
Some people really have a belief that self flagellation will somehow hurt someone else instead...
heliskinki@reddit
"Some people really have a belief that self flagellation will somehow hurt someone else instead..."
At the last count, those "some people" numbered around 52%
Misty_Pix@reddit
I would put it this way...
What do you get by not obeying the hosepipe ban?
Like, really think about it. Do you think the water company notice you (as an individual ) are "disobeying" the ban and question you, so that you can say it's because you are standing your ground due their behaviour and recent scandals. Do you think it will achieve anything? Do you think they will go and say,ye you are right so its ok that you are disobeying the ban?
No. That's not gonna happen.
What will happen is the imposition of harsher measures to preserve drinking water quantities.
So in essence you will be harming yourselves and your neighbours/society.
If you want to make your voice hears, involve yourself with the community and the water company. Petition your MP etc .
No_Earth_5912@reddit
Yeah using your hosepipe won’t take the CEO’s bonuses away from them. It just takes clean water away from us.
Beartato4772@reddit
I don't use a hosepipe much but the amount I do will not be affected even slightly by the feelings of my water provider which is the worst one.
You know which one.
Own-Helicopter-5558@reddit
We can complain about the who and the why, but the reality is that the UK desperately needs to build more storage capacity to deal with the dramatic increase in demand for water - The last reservoir was built in 1993 and the population has grown by almost 11 million in that time.
This needs to be done immediately or this manufactured scarcity of water will become famine.
netzure@reddit
Let us also not forget in the insane volumes of water that are lost to avoidable leakages.
Own-Helicopter-5558@reddit
Pipes have always leaked, the attention on leaking pipes now is primary due to the water levels in the reservoirs.
Violet351@reddit
It would be foolish to carry on using the hosepipe. During the first wave of the heatwave the village my dad lives in had no water due to lack of pressure for about 12 hours. When it did come back where he is, some of the village still didn’t have water. It’s not about how you feel about the water company it’s about the reduced availability of water
Significant-Ship-665@reddit
No, we should all be using as much water as possible. Maybe some severe shortages will make the government do something. Think about it - we all have to scrimp and save, and these assholes who 'run' the companies get paid a fortune and don't improve the system. Unless something drastic happens, nothing will change
GreggyWeggs@reddit
The problem is that as a regular member of society, rather than a millionaire shareholder, you can't get away with disobeying the law. Also you're cutting off your nose to spite your face, because you're helping ensure the shortage gets worse. Just get a water butt.
Aggravating_Ad9275@reddit
Those considering flouting the 'hose pipe ban' seriously need to consider their actions. I have seen alot of 'well I pay for it so I'll use what I want' and other IMO ignorant comments. Please go and take a look at your local reservoirs, and how low the water level is. The last few weeks I have been driving past Digley & Scammonden in West Yorkshire, and Woodhead in Derbyshire. The supplies here have absolutely dwindled, and are a real eye opening regarding how little water is currently available. Also, I am including a link to Yorkshire Waters reservoir levels. Little to no rain means the reservoirs can not fill up.
https://www.yorkshirewater.com/about-us/what-we-do/open-data/watsit-report/
I 100% agree there are inherent issues at the executive & shareholder level in water companies. However, this is about making sure there is enough water for you, your family, and your friends & neighbours over the rest of the year. There are many people working hard at Yorkshire Water, Thames, Affinity, United etc to keep you with a decent supply of safe drinking water. These workers will agree with you that CEOs get paid too much, and not enough money is being spent to improve the system, but selfishness and bitchiness in the public isn't going to magically refill the reservoirs.
jtr99@reddit
Well, yes. But nor will meek obedience to hosepipe bans ever change anything at the CEO/board level in those water companies.
ShaftManlike@reddit
If the water companies fixed the leaking infrastructure rather than give themselves bonuses we wouldn't have hosepipe bans
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/sep/08/water-firms-in-england-and-wales-lost-more-than-1tn-litres-from-leaks-last-year?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
DefinitelyARealHorse@reddit
Hot weather and/or lack of precipitation isn’t the water companies fault. No matter how corrupt or useless they are.
Their failure is in the treatment and distribution of water. Not the amount available.
Continuing to use water unnecessarily at a time of drought is cutting off your nose to spot your face.
hhfugrr3@reddit
I don't really use hosepipes anyway but I'm still not over the time I walked past a Thames Water building mid-drought and weeks into a hosepipe ban to see the building being power sprayed!!
Great_Gabel@reddit
We’re at the point in time where we should have solar and wind powered desalination plants along the coast line but these greedy folk thought more about themselves than our water security..
nolinearbanana@reddit
It's two separate things.
It's like claiming benefits you're not entitled to because ("fuck the government") which (if enough people do it) means more pressure and restrictions are brought to bear on those who ARE entitled to those benefits.
The water companies got us into this mess by putting the enrichment of a handful of individuals as their priority. OFWAT assisted with this.
But now we have limited water supplies - if we use more than we should, the knock-on effect could be more restrictions on say farmers. It won't impact the water company bosses one iota.
insertitherenow@reddit
I have been and only use one very rarely anyway as it’s cheaper to use a can. My problem is the water usage by the general public in their gardens is a drop in the ocean compared to golf courses and car washes for example and they aren’t exactly necessary.
Sensitive_Pound7131@reddit
My beautiful lush green lawn is all brown now, I voluntarily stopped watering lawn few weeks back because with no rain in sight wasting water is not wise.
I do mind however anyone else telling me what I can or cannot do. Especially these crooked organisations who are failing even though they had monopolistic setup to run.
Water is essential, grass will come back to life but depleted water supply is bigger threat.
Slyspy006@reddit
Why not? Water security is something that effects us all. Just because the water companies have, inevitably, failed on a massive scale doesn't mean that we as individuals should embrace failure at our much smaller level.
taffington2086@reddit
If the fire brigade was corrupt and wasteful, I wouldn't be an arsonist. The same applies here.
Cloisonetted@reddit
Paying the water company more money, while putting me and my neighbours at more risk of a serious shortage, doesn't feel like it puts any pressure on the water companies.
Hocus-Pocus-No-Focus@reddit
Water companies have to pay compensation/fines for service interruptions. Plus the minute that people start being unable to get water out of their tap is when the government will act on this mess.
Unnegative@reddit
Having seen how low the reservoirs are, I've no problem letting my lawn go a bit brown for a few weeks and taking the excuse not to clean my car.
Water companies are being run into the ground and more investment into infrastructure is needed, but the fact is there's been very little rain, and watering the garden as an act of civil disobedience is unlikely to change that.
broken-runner-26@reddit
Can't use a hosepipe from a standpipe. That's the end result of selfishness.
PatTheCatMcDonald@reddit
Nice try, National Crime Agency.
rsweb@reddit (OP)
🤣
SpudFire@reddit
Does the reservoirs running dry because people don't obey the hosepipe ban affect the water companies? You're not sticking two fingers up at them, you're sticking two fingers up at your neighbours and even yourself in a few weeks time.
barrysxott@reddit
I use soaker hoses and grey water for watering vegetables when I can. I keep chickens so need to use a hose for the sake of flies stuff like that so is exempt anyway.
Have considered digging a basic well for use in the garden.
JLP99@reddit
Why should we is the question I'd ask?
They've plundered improving their infrastructure for years to pay themselves profits.
It feels very similar to what big oil companies do, they destroy the planet, then tell you to look at your carbon footprint.
sjcuthbertson@reddit
It's not the same. If enough people ignore a hosepipe ban, the very real (albeit unlikely) worst case scenario is residential taps running dry, and then you'll be walking to line up and collect (rationed) water from a communal bowser somewhere. Not fun.
Water companies are certainly doing lots of shitty things (and not doing sensible things) but strictly causing a water shortage is not one of them. That's just a thing that's happening independently of them. Whereas, oil companies really are telling you not to do the things they're doing themselves.
The companies to get annoyed at in this case, as other comments have said, are the big consumers of water who get exemptions from the bans, like golf courses and football clubs. And the legislators who enable that to happen.
Bigbigcheese@reddit
Because you want clean drinking water tomorrow...
upadownpipe@reddit
This, unfortunately, has a more pressing and imminent impact on water supply so it's a more immediate societal issued than anything see. It's more about ensuring drinking water supplies are not impacted.
Doesn't mean they can't go after the head honchos for their previous acts af the same time though and I would fully support them doing so.
Nikotelec@reddit
If you want water company CEOs to go to prison, write to your MP.
If you want your neighbour to have a reliable source of drinking water, do the right thing.
VolcanicBear@reddit
These "others" you speak of sound like utter fucking morons.
FailTuringTest@reddit
The water companies and the regulator have failed to plan, maintain, and keep up with the need. Change is definitely needed! But if I were to use more water than necessary during a shortage, that wouldn't do anything to help the situation. So I will certainly do what I can to conserve water.
BG3restart@reddit
I moved into a new house seven years ago and don't own a hosepipe. I have three pots that I water using a jug, but everything in the ground has to fend for itself. Unless you're growing crops to eat, I think drought tolerant plants are the future.
StereotypicallBarbie@reddit
I’m mindful of the amount of water I use.. I think we all should be! That’s better for all of us a society either way.
trmetroidmaniac@reddit
Will I heck
DeadBallDescendant@reddit
I don't believe that the people who will continue to use hosepipes will do so because of the water company's failings. Some selfish people have always ignored hosepipe bans. Now those same people are claiming to have a moral excuse for it.
noseysheep@reddit
It has genuinely not rained very much this year so yeah I won't be wasting water even though there is no hosepipe ban here
Any_Weird_8686@reddit
Not complying with a hosepipe ban isn't 'sticking it to the water companies', it's potentially depriving the people around you of a stable water supply when they need it, not to mention yourself. Put on your big boy/girl underwear and cope with it.
MrBoggles123@reddit
Yes.
But this decision may be influenced by the fact that I don't own a hosepipe.
SuburbanBushwacker@reddit
will you be water boarding the chief executive? seriously considering it.
Odd-Currency5195@reddit
Just becaue the water companies have been run for the benefit of a few, not reason to sink to their level. Keeping this scandal in the headlines and brinigng pressure to bear is not mutually exclusive to trying to preserve together what actually is our resource. And one upshot of it all hopefully will be de-privatisation and our money we pay being reinvested into infrastructure and quality, rather than lining a few pockets.
hltlang@reddit
We should all be working together collectively to preserve our water supply and reduce waste so we can all enjoy the benefits of having clean water regardless of whether our water masters command us to not use hosepipes.
The choice to not waste water is a social one, not an authoritarian one, it just so happens that these two choices are exactly the same end result.
Fridarey@reddit
Let's face it. Selfish twats will be selfish twats, whether they're in the boardroom or the garden.
The example we set for our kids is a choice each of us makes, and we only get one life to do that.
sparklybeast@reddit
Of course I'd comply. If I'd ever used a hosepipe in my life or had any expectation of doing so. As I have neither a large garden or a posh car it's no skin off my nose.
HatOfFlavour@reddit
We don't run a sprinkler so a hosepipe ban for us means just filling up a watering can to water the plants instead of a direct spray from the hose.
Mental-Jellyfish9061@reddit
I’m not on a meter - I pay to enjoy unlimited water, that was the deal.
Now they saying I have to cut back … but there’s no sign of a reduction on my bill.
I don’t tend to use hose pipe a great deal so it won’t really bother me too much …
Helpful_Talk@reddit
Put it this way, my water bill went up 80% despite using the same amount of water. When the shared drain in front of our house blocked... water company said not our problem despite it clearly is shared so 100% is their problem.
In short, until the management of water companies and ofwat are on trial, they can with no respect to them, do one
SmugglersParadise@reddit
Regardless of their negligence (water Co's I mean), we all have a vested interest in the supply of drinking water
So yes, even if it's due to negligence and poor maintenance, I will absolutely be complying with a hosepipe ban
Because I value adequate drinking water over just about anything
fussdesigner@reddit
You'd have to be quitw the moron to think that using a hosepipe in a drought is a way of getting back at the water companies. Anyone using that reasoning had no intention of respecting the ban anyway and is just scrabbling for an excuse to be justify they selfishness.
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