Thames Water - my water company - is issuing a hose pipe ban from the 3rd of April. That means no watering of gardens with a hose or sprinkler.
I've blogged about this before. As a keen gardener, I'm not about to let Thames Water's mismanagement of the water infrastructure (1/3 of the water supply leaks from their own pipes) keep me from having a beautiful garden.
I've taken steps to keep legal. I bought a water butt recently (which hasn't yet arrived) and I've been adding organic material to the soil which greatly helps with water retention. I'm a careful waterer anyway, but not being able to use a sprinkler will be a serious inconvenience for me. It's not like I'm watering a lawn - I don't have one.
Thames water in their FAQ - encourages neighbours to nark (or in Brit-talk grass) on each other
My neighbour has his hosepipe running all night. What is Thames Water going to do to stop this waste of water?
All violations of water use restrictions will be taken seriously. If you wish to make a formal complaint, we would be grateful if you could let us have a written statement.
Will you prosecute me if I still use my hosepipe or sprinkler?
All violations of water use restrictions will be taken seriously and this could include a £1000 fine.
- so if I defy the ban, I'm going to have to be sneaky.
Meanwhile, golf courses are still allowed to water their courses and the pipes are still leaking.
9 comments:
How large is your garden? I'm guessing those specs will indicate your level of rebellion.
Oh! Maybe you should put in a flag and call it a one-hole course! That way it would be legal!
I say steal several trash cans, with tight lids, from the neighbors and fill them to the brim. Fill your watering can from them. Or stick a hose in there and suck to get it going. [if I had 5p every time I said that...] You'll flash back to stealing gasoline back in Lawrence and/or Knox County. I think that would be a more glamorous law to break.
Hey, is it glamourous or glamorous? That's a lot of -ous's.
I mean -ou's.
I'm a keen gardener in the UK as well, and found last summer that one water butt was fine to keep everything except the lawn watered in the summer. Its more time consuming than using a hose, but better for the plants.
http://twoblackcats-and-me.blogspot.com/
the water butt I'm getting has a spigot for a hosepipe, so I should be ok.
And yes it is better for the plants - especially since I love acid loving plants (camellia, rhodos, azaleas and lilies) and our London water is very rich in carbonates. Bring on the acid rain!
and to Vol-kweer in Oakland...I don't remember stealing gas, but I don't have full recollection of all I got up to, so maybe it will resurrect the "lost memory"
Congrats by the way on your mention in The Guardian!
"Congrats by the way on your mention in The Guardian!"
!!! Do you have a URL?
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