The details of the Thames Water temporary hosepipe ban 2012

by Steve Macrie steve@serviceteam.co.uk

Living in one of the wettest countries in Europe should mean that we at least have an abundance of water. Not so, as Thames Water have enforced a temporary ban on hosepipes for the Spring and Summer of 2012. Apparantly London gets half the amount of rain that Sydney does... Anyway, as usual the devil is in the detail, so have a close look to see if you are affected. As a business there is an exemption for the moment - unless we get less rain than usual and they ban even businesses from using jet-washes and hosepipes...

Thames Water Utilities Limited gives notice to all of its customers, that the potable water (water treated to drinkable standards) it supplies throughout its entire area must not be used for the following purposes:

• watering a 'garden' using a hosepipe;
• cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe;
• watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe;
• cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe;
• filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool (except when using hand held containers filled directly from a tap);
• drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use;
• filling or maintaining a domestic pond (excluding fish ponds) using a hosepipe;
• filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain;
• cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe;
• cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe;
• cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.

The definition of a garden

A "garden" includes all of the following: a park; gardens open to the public; a lawn; a grass verge; an area of grass used for sport or recreation; an allotment garden, as defined in section 22 of the Allotments Act 1922; any area of an allotment used for non-commercial purposes; and any other green space.

Exemptions from the hosepipe ban

The following will be exempted from the restriction:

• using a hosepipe in a garden or for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, a private leisure boat or an artificial outdoor surface, where such use is necessary for health and safety reasons.
• people with severe mobility problems who hold a current Blue Badge as issued by their local authority will not be prohibited from using a hosepipe to water a garden attached to a domestic dwelling, plants on domestic premises, or allotments where the Blue Badge holder is the tenant.
• using a hosepipe to clean a private motor vehicle, walls and windows of domestic premises, or paths, patios and other outdoor surfaces where this is done as a service to customers in the course of a business.
• using a hosepipe to water an area of grass or artificial outdoor surfaces used for sport or recreation, where this is required in connection with a national or international sports event. View the list of sporting events exempt under the Temporary Use Ban which will be updated as and when required.
• drip or trickle irrigation watering systems, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, that are not handheld, that place water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface,without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist.

Since the restrictions were first announced, two changes to the exemptions have been made following formal representations from customers. These are:

• Business customers who clean paths and patios as part of a service are exempt;
• the blue badge exemption has been extended to allotments where the blue badge holder is a tenant;

The consultation about these variations to the Temporary Use Ban has now closed. For further information go to the Thames Water Hosepipe Ban page.

So, Serviceteam is pleased to announce that for the forseeable future we will still be providing or professional patio jet washing service in London.

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