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Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (11th Jul 2025  16:37:19) And there we have it folks! To be very best of my knowledge, last year was a complete wash out. Now that we've had some nice weather - incoming hosepipe ban! Get everything hydrated and cleaned ASAP, as it's enforced from 18 July onwards. Now - get back to work and pay your taxes!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Sarah (11th Jul 2025  16:42:37) There is a hosepipe ban because it is very hot and everyone is using more water than normal. Why are you so upset about a ban? We will still have drinking water, washing and showering water. Itā€™s just asking us to be more thoughtful with use so there is enough to go around and so the systems can keep up with extraordinary demand. In what way will you be inconvenienced for the few weeks we will have a hosepipe ban?

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (11th Jul 2025  17:05:47) Sarah, it's the bit where water companies have acted like vultures extracting all financial value from the companies while polluting our waterways and failing to modernise - all while increasing our prices - that bothers me. Hope that clarifies.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - M (11th Jul 2025  17:06:26) Sarah Have you considered all those homeowners who have Ā£ 000ks worth of plants,trees, shrubs etc. Its not acceptable to say we should all not water them and not continue to do so. We pay for what we use and its a conscious choice. To replace all these would be more than the fine. I for one will not use my dishwasher,bath at all, and reduce my washing machine use, but to let my plants etc die, unfortunately no! I will continue to water regularly. Deal with it,we can as adults all be responsible and make informed decisions as I've laid out above. But stop dictating terms because you don't have the right to do so, your posts are now dull.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - C (11th Jul 2025  17:48:54) Has a hosepipe ban been announced for our area? It looks like Kent and part of Sussex in addition to Yorkshire.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (11th Jul 2025  18:05:49) Hmm. And if everyone else does the same and we end up with standpipes in the streets, that's OK with you?

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (11th Jul 2025  18:20:49) I do agree with you M. But under our Glorious Leader it would be the likes of you and I who would be 'made examples of' and would "swiftly feel the full force of the law' under our Two Tier System. Anyway, time spent with our hoses is not productive, instead we should be working harder to generate more tax revenue :)

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (11th Jul 2025  19:03:46) news.sky.com/story/could-we-be-heading-for-a-drought-so-bad-we-have-to-queue-for-water-on-the-street-13395371 Perhaps worth a read for the skeptics

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Sarah (11th Jul 2025  20:36:49) Our local water company doesnā€™t pollute rivers and streams, it is a drinking water only company that has nothing to do with sewage treatment or disposal. They use reservoirs and boreholes to collect and extract water, thatā€™s all. Of course I feel for everyone with plants and shrubs, but if we run out of drinking and bathing water because of someone further up the network who can afford to pour all the water on their garden, thatā€™s not terribly helpful to anyone it is. Sorry if that is ā€˜dullā€™ to say. The point is, we have the same amount of water as in winter, since much of the water in our area comes from boreholes. They are not running out, but supply simply canā€™t keep up with demand in hot weather, because some people use use use without thinking or caring.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Susie (11th Jul 2025  22:14:03) Why do you think so many people have got involved with their gardens ? Any chance you think that they were advised by healthcare professionals and g.ps to get into gardening to benefit their health and stay out of the nhs system. Thanks to that many people have got involved to improve their mental and physical health and are now passionately into caring for their gardens growing vegetables etc. Do you think realistically that they will just stop because people like you don't approve? I don't think so and whilst people like you continue to castigate it doesn't help anyone. Gardens provide alot more than flowers and don't include lakes,ponds, swimming pools,dog showers,kids paddling pools etc.,but do provide calm, sanctuary and support well being. Sarah you're not with the programme.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - AF (11th Jul 2025  23:19:43) It won't help now but get a water butt to collect rainwater from your roof for free, this will be for the plants.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Joe (12th Jul 2025  07:22:28) In my opinion they should stop watering golf courses when there is a hosepipe ban. I understand that is another pursuit that the NHS advises. Obesity is what the NHS are trying to prevent so it does not matter to them what exercise you take. After all if you lived in a flat a G P could not advise you to get gardening.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Charlie (12th Jul 2025  10:23:44) AF I have 4 water butts and they are nearly all out of water. Joe I agree, stop watering golf courses or at least cut the watering down. I agree with M and Susie. Although I have a dishwasher I rarely use it. I also keep washing to a minimum, but I will not stop watering my garden and vegetables. My garden is my sanctuary and I love my plants. I try to keep watering to a minimum of course, just enough to help the plants over this very dry, hot weather.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - M (12th Jul 2025  10:48:30) AF I have 8 water butts and use them regularly however they aren't an endless suppy in dry weather. My garden includes fruit and vegetables and will not suffer because of the minority on here who likely have kids and indulge them,those that continue without any water saving devices are armchair critics and keyboard warriors and Sarah springs to mind here. Is Sarah the "milk lady" who is posting just with the intent of winding people up,I wonder, under a different guise.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Susie (12th Jul 2025  11:19:10) Joe Your comments lack insight "Gardening offers significant benefits for mental health, acting as a form of exercise, a mindful activity, and a connection to nature. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression, while also improving life satisfaction and mood. " If you present with the symptoms above you will be asked if you can get involved in gardening, even if you live in a flat,yes everyone can get involved because it is low cost Just look at LIB always asking for volunteers. As for golf courses they are financially unavailable for the many. Being so dismissive in your post is unhelpful for people trying to get on with their life without being a burden on the state.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Observed (12th Jul 2025  12:25:56) If they fixed all the water leaks and invested in loads more reservoirs this country would have more than enough water. And start looking into desalination like other countries do that donā€™t have enough water. Stop paying out to the shareholders and invest.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Sarah (12th Jul 2025  13:00:27) I post on her maybe once or twice a year when there is something I feel strongly about and water use happens to be one of them. Particularly when people moan about leaks, moan about it running out, but refuse to play their part in a heatwave when water supply canā€™t keep up with enormous demand. So no, I donā€™t have an alter-ego on here and Iā€™m perplexed by people who donā€™t see we all have to be a bit more careful with water. I havenā€™t at any point said people shouldnā€™t garden, or enjoy their gardens or benefit from the mental health gardens supply, so Iā€™m not quite sure why those words are being put into my mouth. You are still free to water your gardens from a water butt or from waste water or a watering can. Iā€™m not sure at what point I have been tarnished with the anti mental-health brush. I am just trying to say everyone needs to help out to make sure we all have water for essential use. I donā€™t have a paddling pool, a pool or a hot tub, just FYI for those accusing me of allsorts, Just be sensible people, a hosepipe ban luckily doesnā€™t last forever, and I donā€™t understand people who donā€™t get it!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Joe (12th Jul 2025  13:24:24) I agree gardening offers good exercise and help with mental health but so do many other forms of exercise which do not include flouting the hosepipe ban when we have one. That is the point of the posting? The HOSEPIPE BAN not a gardening ban! Just think how much more exercise you will have walking backwards and forwards with your watering can Suze. You can still do gardening! That has not been banned? Your mental health will not suffer trust me. Those that flout a hosepipe ban ( regardless of the devastating consequences to the NHS ! ) are being selfish and anti social and using the excuse that they will suffer mentally by not using their hosepipes? Really? I wondered how long it would be before the personal comments about me from Suze would start. Did not have long to wait!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Sarah (12th Jul 2025  16:47:57) Observer - I think the country has looked into desalination plants already, but the cost of power to run them would mean your water bill would have to go up enormously. Locally, most of our water comes from boreholes which you donā€™t see and donā€™t take up the room of reservoirs, so while your argument might be try elsewhere in then country it isnā€™t where we are. There are plenty of boreholes supplying us, but they just canā€™t keep up with crazy summer demand all the time.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (12th Jul 2025  19:42:52) Sarah is quite correct about the impact on our water bills if desalination becomes required to maintain reliable potable water supplies. It is worth adding that although our local supply depends on boreholes to a large extent rather than surface storage in reservoirs, prolonged high demand at the levels seen this year will undoubtedly impact on the amount of recoverable water in the aquifers and at some point the Environment Agency will be forced to impose limits on the volumes that South East Water can extract. In those circumstances we are headed inevitably towards standpipes in the streets.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Jen (12th Jul 2025  20:00:39) I feel I should point out, along with C, that there is currently NOT a hosepipe ban in Liphook or any of the surrounding areas.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (15th Jul 2025  10:59:21) To reiterate Jen's point - South East Water have imposed a hosepipe ban just over the border in Sussex and Kent, and are 'evaluating' when to introduce same in Hampshire. So we're not there - yet. Also in the news today, South East Water lose 18.6% of their total distribution input. So almost 1/5th of SE Water is lost before it reaches your property. No new reservoirs have been built in the south of England since 1975 (last one in Kent). The CEO of South East Water is paid in excess of Ā£400,000 per annum including an undisclosed 6-figure performance bonus.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Rg (15th Jul 2025  12:07:53) New res being built in Havant

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Susie (15th Jul 2025  12:10:47) Joe,who is Suze on this thread that you refer to with aggression?

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Sue (15th Jul 2025  13:03:01) Bring back the Romans.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - M (15th Jul 2025  13:10:36) Sarah have you considered and DYOR on exactly how water scarcity is managed successfully in Mediterranean countries, where water is plentiful and cheap to consumers ? They don't need to enforce temporary usage because they manage it differently,despite a lack of rainfall. I very much doubt it with all this kerfuffle you are making. I'm not going to educate you,but I have first hand experience of this both as a consumer there and industrial water engineer. This country unfortunately sold off the water companies and because of this there has been very little investment to the infrastructure. Rather divis to the investors. Unfortunately under investment and over population in this country = problems, ie leaks,shortages and panic. Your dictate won't help or resolve these issues they are much bigger than you.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (15th Jul 2025  15:47:16) M. I am not really sure of the purpose of your post other than to disparage Sarah who has, at least in my view been making perfectly valid points. Unfortunately your own post is misleading in several ways not least your suggestion that the countries around the Mediterranean don't suffer from water shortages. This link paints a rather more realistic picture. eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/use-of-freshwater-resources-in-europe-1 You also (sadly like many others) have a rather misguided view around the levels of investment in the UK Water Industry since privatisation which amounts to some Ā£236 billion up until 2024. The industry was actually privatised in the late 1980s under the government of Margaret Thatcher at least in part to kick start the major investment programme necessary to ensure that the UK could comply with several EU Directives around standards for both potable water treatment and sewage treatment and disposal. I would accept that the water companies have many faults and some radical reform is required but there is little or no evidence that the industry would perform better under government ownership. As an example, Scottish Water, which was never privatised, has pretty well exactly the same issues as the English water plcs including potential water shortages due to a very dry spring and early summer.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - pete (15th Jul 2025  15:58:56) As one or two have said there is no hosepipe ban in Liphook or surrounds... Don't panic Mainwaring !

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (15th Jul 2025  20:08:33) The Havant reservoir won't be operational for another 4 years at least.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (15th Jul 2025  21:50:19) Well perhaps if the general public and press had been less skeptical of the need for new reservoirs over the last 25 years, perhaps the Havant thicket reservoir and even the one proposed near Oxford would have been up and running in time to mitigate the current drought šŸ™„

Re: Hosepipe Ban - M (16th Jul 2025  09:57:03) Steve You provide just one link, however have you lived and worked in the Med ,i doubt it because if you had your post would be very different. Your post isn't accurate and is just to denigrate mine. Sarah clearly hasn't completed her research and you're clearly backing her probably one of the same. My post is from experience and the cost of water in the Med regions is very cheap and without restrictions, unlike here, they have already planned, developed and are organised,its quite impressive what they have achieved. Go and live there and suck it and see for yourself, that's the only way you can then comment with authentication. If you knew anything about the development and their water management i may be prepared to listen but clearly you don't.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Paul (16th Jul 2025  10:57:11) Steve, I'd love to see your sources for comments such as the general public and press have been against new reservoirs? The reality is different from your hyperbole. The general public are the ones who bear the brunt of water restrictions and who have been highlighting the need for improvements given our population growth and housing developments. But you already knew that.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - er (16th Jul 2025  11:10:58) Those saying desalination isn't viable in the UK are wrong. It just hasn't been either politically acceptable or up till now, necessary. Israel is the world's best example, having limited rain or rivers, it was rapidly running out of water, till it discovered it had the world's biggest reservoirs of gas under the sea, IE the huge Tamar and Leviathan reservoirs and many others. Solution, it now gets most of it's water from desalination AND gets to earn a lot of money and political power from exporting both it's surplus gas and water supplies to its needy desert neighbours, Egypt and Jordan. This makes the whole region viable again and shows the rest of the world how easily it can be done if you have the will and enough cheap energy. Which is EXACTLY what we have in Britain and which once made us wealthy, (instead of everyone else overtaking us today) huge underwater gas reserves that we can no longer access, because it's politically inconvenient! We could literally run desalination plants for virtually nothing using our own gas, instead of having to factor in the cost of IMPORTED gas which makes it unviable! It's not hard, it's not difficult, it would secure our energy and water needs far into the future, but of course the usual suspects are worried about the harm we'd be doing to somewhere by burning our own gas, so no, we can't use it anymore!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Charlie (16th Jul 2025  12:09:04) For the record two of my children live in France and 2 in Portugal. These two countries do have some localised restrictions in areas such as the Algarve due to the number of people living there and the tourist market and in France the same applies, very much localised not blanket bans. As a country the UK has areas with very high housing density and in my opinion are over-populated areas which contribute to the water shortages in some areas. I believe that Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire have hosepipe bans and now some areas of Kent and Sussex also. Combine this with the leakage problem and one should be surprised. The latest information that I heard was that if the hot dry weather continues Hampshire will have a hosepipe ban in September.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (16th Jul 2025  13:07:06) The additional link below gives an interesting comparison of drinking water consumption and cost in most European countries. Admittedly the study dates back to 2020 and UK costs have certainly risen since then but I suspect that the relative numbers are similar. smartwatermagazine.com/news/...

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (16th Jul 2025  13:40:29) M You haven't been very specific about in which mediterranean countries you have experience which makes it difficult to respond in any detail but I am still very skeptical that most (if any) nations in Southern Europe are immune from restrictions. As an example the link below describes the current difficult situation in Majorca. I suspect that a similar story can be told across much of this region. majorcadailybulletin.com/news/...

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Pete (16th Jul 2025  15:31:55) M- I dont profess to be an expert but just about every reference I can find points to the fact that there is significant water scarcity and managment issues in the Mediteranian area. The WEF states that "the Mediteranian region hosts 60% of the worlds "water poor" population." The ECMWF (european forcasting institute) states "The Mediterranean already suffers from significant water management issues, and the effects are being felt throughout the region." The European enviroment agency states "Water scarcity is prevalent in southern Europe, with around 30% of the population in areas with permanent water stress and up to 70% in areas with seasonal summer stress." It is clearly not just one agency saying this as you implied. Agree with you on the privatisation side of things though.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Steve (16th Jul 2025  16:15:34) Well Paul. I worked for a civil engineering contractor who built more dams in the UK than anybody else in the 20th century. As such I personally worked on 3 of the last significant reservoir projects completed before, as I stated, building dams and large surface water reservoirs became politically unacceptable. As I am sure you can imagine, my employer would have taken a close interest in the potential for future work of this type. I subsequently served for 3 years as contractors representative on the Institution of Civil Engineers Reservoirs Committee whose function was the advise the government on dam safety matters. It should come as no surprise that large new reservoirs are not generally welcomed by people living close by and pushing through projects of this type always needed strong political support which completely disappeared around the time of privatisation. To the contrary Ofwat, the industryā€™s economic regulator, was for many years firmly of the view that schemes of this nature were not needed. Although a number of the privatised water plcs did attempt to promote a few reservoir schemes, these had no chance of progressing unless and until both government and regulator accepted that the significant cost of these projects could be recovered through customer bills. This has now come to pass although it will be several more years before such schemes can assist in mitigating water shortages in hot summers.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - PR (18th Jul 2025  17:39:42) No Worries ~ Should we get a hosepipe ban and you get caught using one, just tell Plod it indentifies as being a watering can .... Easy ...

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Paul (19th Jul 2025  15:54:59) Steve, you must be exhausted from building all those dams over the last years!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (31st Jul 2025  09:05:01) STATE DIRECTIVE 092/7: COMMUNIQUE ON HYDRO-LIBERATION Glorious news, Comrades of the Water-Obedient State! As of 0600 hours yesterday, the Great Hosepipe Banā€”our noble test of discipline, resolve, and ability to water plants with cupsā€”has officially been lifted. This triumphant reward has been granted in recognition of your unwavering compliance with Directive SILENCE-7, which forbade utterance (in digital or analogue form) of the following destabilising bourgeois concepts: Manchester, GB, Airport, News, Waterlooville, Tax, Housing, Potholes, Hamsters. You have shown admirable restraint. Not once did you crack, not once did the word ā€œhamstersā€ pass your treacherous lipsā€”not even during #ThrowbackThursday. And so, your reward: Each household may now operate one (1) hosepipe, in strict accordance with State Law. Do not attempt to use more than one. The Water Surveillance Drones are watching. Let us irrigate wisely, not wildly. The State giveth, the State can also turn off the stopcock. In conclusion, thank you, valiant comrades, for your service, your silence, and your soil-soaking patience. You may now return to your regularly assigned duties that generate revenue for the State. Long live the collective! Long live measured hydration! ā€“ Supreme Directorate of Moisture Regulation šŸ’§šŸš©

Re: Hosepipe Ban - A different M (31st Jul 2025  09:50:43) @Was Undecided Now Decided...... thanks for your insightful ramblings but we never had a Hosepipe Ban in the first place!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Was Undecided Now Decided (31st Jul 2025  10:05:21) Comrade A Different M, your vigilance is noted. It is true that upon thorough re-examination of the Directive Water-Zero, it appears we may have existed in a State of Implied Restriction, rather than an official, legally enforceable Hosepipe Banā„¢. But let us not squabble over technicalities, comradesā€”perception is the first step to obedience. The important thing is: You believed you were under restriction You acted as though you were under restriction You complied like champions of the Moisture-Aware Revolutionā„¢ For this, you shall still receive the glorious reward of One (1) Hosepipe per Household, to be cherished, not brandished. The State thanks you for your confusion-fuelled cooperation. Long live unnecessary sacrifice! Long live bureaucratic ambiguity! ā€“ Directorate of Clarification (Post-Factum Compliance Unit) šŸš±šŸ«”šŸ’§

Re: Hosepipe Ban - A different M (31st Jul 2025  13:12:03) @Was Undecided Now Decided..... Nah I just carried on as usual, used my hosepipe everyday. ............ as the saying goes "Keep Calm and Carry On!" .........and my grass looks lovely, wish it would stop raining!!!!

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Ian (2nd Aug 2025  10:13:41) Same old TBā€¦..

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Gr (2nd Aug 2025  16:49:08) Water company changed out meter we asked and we where told NO hosepipe ban in place.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Paul (13th Aug 2025  18:14:07) so have we got hose pipe ban liphook as I have seen one person watering garden two times this week and someone using power washer?

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Editor (13th Aug 2025  18:16:24) There hasn't been a hosepipe ban this year in Liphook.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Eyes open (13th Aug 2025  19:40:02) A change of government might help. Get a party in that backs this country. There is absolutely no need for us to be short of water in this country. Rivers running continuously into the sea what a waste. Itā€™s time this government put this country first stop giving millions to other countries . Get back to basics spend money at home.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Jen (14th Aug 2025  10:01:35) I don't think that depleting our rivers and thereby destroying already precariously fragile habitats is the way forward. It's clear that we need to use water more thoughtfully. Perhaps it should be compulsory for every house to have water butts to collect rainwater for watering the garden. Maybe, when our bathrooms are built or refurbished, we should be installing Japanese-style toilets with the wash basin on top of the toilet, so that the cistern is filled from the waste water? Also (dare I suggest it?) if water were more expensive, we would undoubtedly find ways of using less of it.

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Susie (14th Aug 2025  10:19:08) Paul If you're able to access and contribute to this website you are capable of checking the water supplier's website for updates. Why start complaining when you obviously haven't checked yourself, you're just stirring the pot again and looking for an argument when its unnecessary. I've said for a long time standards of education are / have slipped......

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Paul (14th Aug 2025  15:35:48) suzzie I was only asking so don't get on your high horse this. on news saying Hampshire is on hose pipe just making sure so I can water my garden and cars every day patio and oh and windows also. use the water I pay for thankyou for help

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Eyes open (14th Aug 2025  20:24:32) Jen didnā€™t say depleted our rivers, I said all the water flowing into the sea from all of our rivers seems to be ridiculous when it could fill reservoirs before being lost in the sea . We need to conserve our water not just let it flow away into the seas. We need to build far more reservoirs around the country and find a way of distribution it to places that are short and of course mend all the leaks look at liphook leaks all over the place for weeks. Itā€™s the same old story governments not getting to grips with it .

Re: Hosepipe Ban - Susie (15th Aug 2025  08:55:09) Paul Why aren't you capable of checking for yourself on the water supplier's website ? Its a valid question that you failed to answer in your rant. Or don't you know who supplies your water and who you pay .. šŸ˜‚

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