One basic question

Have the RHS got it right?
I am particularly interested in the greenhouse, as I have young plants and
they will need regular light watering (during the day when I'm at work) so
I have installed an automatic mist system. According to the RHS I can use
this are they right?

Please see full details below.







http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0406/hosepipes.asp


"Hosepipe restrictions

The following water companies have enforced hosepipe restrictions (as of 23
March 2006)

* Cholderton & District Water (hosepipe ban)
* Mid-Kent Water (hosepipe ban) *
* Sutton and East Surrey (ban on sprinklers and unattended hose use) *
* Southern Water (hosepipe bans in Sussex and Kent) *
* South East Water (hosepipe bans in East and West Sussex and West Kent)
* Thames Water (hosepipe and sprinklers ban - comes into force on 3
April 2006)
* Three Valleys (hosepipe ban)

* The following companies are seeking to enforce a drought order; a drought
order prohibits the use of ANY hosepipe.

A hosepipe ban, as defined in the Water Industry Act (para 76.), does not
prohibit all uses of garden hoses - including cleaning, hosing down pets and
livestock, filling fish ponds, drinking troughs, bird baths and other
unplanted containers, washing trade vehicles, garden furniture, garages and
greenhouses and even garden showers; although careful use should be made to
minimise wastage. Bans only apply to watering of private gardens and washing
of private cars.

It would seem that gardeners and the horticultural industry are being made
to 'carry the can' for the low winter rainfall and the 3,608 megalitres (793
million gallons) of water lost every day through leaks and breakages in the
water companies' pipe network - enough to supply the daily needs of 8.8m
households (38% of the UK population).
Sensible watering"



Water Industry Act (para 76.) from link on the rhs site.



76.-(1) If a water undertaker is of the opinion that a serious deficiency
of water available for distribution by that undertaker exists or is
threatened, that undertaker may, for such period as it thinks necessary,
prohibit or restrict, as respects the whole or any part of its area, the use
for the purpose of-

(a) watering private gardens; or

(b) washing private motor cars,

of any water supplied by that undertaker and drawn through a hosepipe or
similar apparatus.

(2) A water undertaker imposing a prohibition or restriction under this
section shall, before it comes into force, give public notice of it, and of
the date on which it will come into force, in two or more newspapers
circulating in the locality affected by the prohibition or restriction.

(3) Any person who, at a time when a prohibition or restriction under
this section is in force, contravenes its provisions shall be guilty of an
offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3
on the standard scale.

(4) Where a prohibition or restriction is imposed by a water undertaker
under this section, charges made by the undertaker for the use of a hosepipe
or similar apparatus shall be subject to a reasonable reduction and, in the
case of a charge paid in advance, the undertaker shall make any necessary
repayment or adjustment.

(5) In this section "private motor car" means any mechanically
propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads other than-

(a) a public service vehicle, within the meaning of the [1

"Hosepipe restrictions

The following water companies have enforced hosepipe restrictions (as of
23
March 2006)

* Cholderton & District Water (hosepipe ban)
* Mid-Kent Water (hosepipe ban) *
* Sutton and East Surrey (ban on sprinklers and unattended hose use) *
* Southern Water (hosepipe bans in Sussex and Kent) *


Interesting, have they left off the Isle of Wight because we are metered I
wonder???

Mike
on the Isle of Wight

In article ,
wrote:

One basic question

Have the RHS got it right?
I am particularly interested in the greenhouse, as I have young plants and
they will need regular light watering (during the day when I'm at work) so
I have installed an automatic mist system. According to the RHS I can use
this are they right?

Please see full details below.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0406/hosepipes.asp

"Hosepipe restrictions

The following water companies have enforced hosepipe restrictions (as of 23
March 2006)

* Cholderton & District Water (hosepipe ban)
* Mid-Kent Water (hosepipe ban) *
* Sutton and East Surrey (ban on sprinklers and unattended hose use) *
* Southern Water (hosepipe bans in Sussex and Kent) *
* South East Water (hosepipe bans in East and West Sussex and West Kent)
* Thames Water (hosepipe and sprinklers ban - comes into force on 3
April 2006)
* Three Valleys (hosepipe ban)

* The following companies are seeking to enforce a drought order; a drought
order prohibits the use of ANY hosepipe.

A hosepipe ban, as defined in the Water Industry Act (para 76.), does not
prohibit all uses of garden hoses - including cleaning, hosing down pets and
livestock, filling fish ponds, drinking troughs, bird baths and other
unplanted containers, washing trade vehicles, garden furniture, garages and
greenhouses and even garden showers; although careful use should be made to
minimise wastage. Bans only apply to watering of private gardens and washing
of private cars.

It would seem that gardeners and the horticultural industry are being made
to 'carry the can' for the low winter rainfall and the 3,608 megalitres (793
million gallons) of water lost every day through leaks and breakages in the
water companies' pipe network - enough to supply the daily needs of 8.8m
households (38% of the UK population).
Sensible watering"

(Snip The Law)

Where does it say that an automatic mist system is allowed under a hose
restriction? Greenhouse cleaning is allowed but you can't water plants
in any way if connected directly or indirectly (eg via micro tubing) to
a hose which is connected to the mains or to a device such as a tap
timer which is connected to the mains.

It's very illogical and maybe the water companies will see sense and
exempt drip irrigation systems from the restrictions.

But I'm sure the RHS have got it wrong about drought orders banning any
use of a hose. The compnaies they highlight have applied for a
non-essential use drought order and while this is an escalation, it
impacts more on the service, amenity and leisure industry than it does
on gardeners. Below is an extract from the non-essential use drought
order application made by one of the water companies:

This PDF of a NEU drought order application shows what measures are
being applied for -- and also shows that many of the current permitted
uses of a hose will remain unaffected.

http://www.waterplc.com/WaterPlc/dro...ught_Order.pdf

In article , Mike
wrote:

"Hosepipe restrictions

The following water companies have enforced hosepipe restrictions (as of
23
March 2006)

* Cholderton & District Water (hosepipe ban)
* Mid-Kent Water (hosepipe ban) *
* Sutton and East Surrey (ban on sprinklers and unattended hose use) *
* Southern Water (hosepipe bans in Sussex and Kent) *


Interesting, have they left off the Isle of Wight because we are metered I
wonder???

Nope - the RHS list pre-dates the IoW hose restriction. Did I hear
somewhere that IoW residents were going to be allowed to use a hose to
water gardens on one day a week? Probably just rumour...

Stan The Man wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

One basic question

Have the RHS got it right?
I am particularly interested in the greenhouse, as I have young plants and
they will need regular light watering (during the day when I'm at work) so
I have installed an automatic mist system. According to the RHS I can use
this are they right?

Please see full details below.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0406/hosepipes.asp

"Hosepipe restrictions

The following water companies have enforced hosepipe restrictions (as of 23
March 2006)

* Cholderton & District Water (hosepipe ban)
* Mid-Kent Water (hosepipe ban) *
* Sutton and East Surrey (ban on sprinklers and unattended hose use) *
* Southern Water (hosepipe bans in Sussex and Kent) *
* South East Water (hosepipe bans in East and West Sussex and West Kent)
* Thames Water (hosepipe and sprinklers ban - comes into force on 3
April 2006)
* Three Valleys (hosepipe ban)

* The following companies are seeking to enforce a drought order; a drought
order prohibits the use of ANY hosepipe.

A hosepipe ban, as defined in the Water Industry Act (para 76.), does not
prohibit all uses of garden hoses - including cleaning, hosing down pets and
livestock, filling fish ponds, drinking troughs, bird baths and other
unplanted containers, washing trade vehicles, garden furniture, garages and
greenhouses and even garden showers; although careful use should be made to
minimise wastage. Bans only apply to watering of private gardens and washing
of private cars.

It would seem that gardeners and the horticultural industry are being made
to 'carry the can' for the low winter rainfall and the 3,608 megalitres (793
million gallons) of water lost every day through leaks and breakages in the
water companies' pipe network - enough to supply the daily needs of 8.8m
households (38% of the UK population).
Sensible watering"

(Snip The Law)

Where does it say that an automatic mist system is allowed under a hose
restriction? Greenhouse cleaning is allowed but you can't water plants
in any way if connected directly or indirectly (eg via micro tubing) to
a hose which is connected to the mains or to a device such as a tap
timer which is connected to the mains.

It's very illogical and maybe the water companies will see sense and
exempt drip irrigation systems from the restrictions.

But I'm sure the RHS have got it wrong about drought orders banning any
use of a hose. The compnaies they highlight have applied for a
non-essential use drought order and while this is an escalation, it
impacts more on the service, amenity and leisure industry than it does
on gardeners. Below is an extract from the non-essential use drought
order application made by one of the water companies:

This PDF of a NEU drought order application shows what measures are
being applied for -- and also shows that many of the current permitted
uses of a hose will remain unaffected.

http://www.waterplc.com/WaterPlc/dro...ught_Order.pdf
When there is a hose ban, hoses are banned, end of story. Last year a
lady got prosecuted for using a hose connected to a rain barrel, nuts!

wrote:
[...]
Water Industry Act (para 76.) from link on the rhs site.



76.-(1) If a water undertaker [...]

A remarkably appropriate expression, if I may say so, Bernard. We civil
servants are here merely as humble pawns to do the bidding of Her
Majesty's Government: we are not empowered to point out in public that
we foresee that the proposed privatisation must needs, in the event,
prove an almighty cockup, but I fancy we may very occasionally be
permitted a touch of wry humour in the draft papers we prepare. I am
suggesting nothing, of course; but the Minister would perhaps not notice
the precise form of words if the document were by some mischance to be
placed at the bottom of his box.

--
Mike.

The number of "automatic watering systems" sold over the last few years has increased significantly and it’s good that the RHS point out that it can use up to 75% less water than an average sprinkler.

It uses 75% less as the water dispersed from the water system is directed to individual plants rather than being sprayed over a large area where you are probably watering the path, weeds and other areas not intended to be watered.

The other advantage of a watering system is that you can attach a garden watering timer that will switch on and off as required. If you set this to come on at night then you save even more water. Why? Because water gets longer to soak in to the soil and plants get longer to take in the moisture. If you water in the day the water is evaporating as the plants are trying to take in the water. Therefore more water is required.

Take a look at these pages...
http://www.garden4less.co.uk/automat...ng_systems.asp
http://www.garden4less.co.uk/hozeloc...ion-system.asp

This page isn't navigable from the site yet as it isn't finished..
http://www.garden4less.co.uk/automat...-butt-test.asp

Why you should water the garden at night....
http://www.garden4less.co.uk/waterin...n-at-night.asp

If you have any questions then please let me know.

Broadback wrote:
snip
When there is a hose ban, hoses are banned, end of story. Last year a
lady got prosecuted for using a hose connected to a rain barrel, nuts!

It may depend on the local authority but "see today's Daily Mail".
Someone sent in a letter about this very problem, saying that it took
him some time but eventualy he got HIS authority to acknowledge that a
hosepipe ban applied to a hose attached to a tap and that he was able
to go on using a water butt.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

In article , Broadback
wrote:

When there is a hose ban, hoses are banned, end of story.

They are not banned. Did you not read the RHS quote in the OP? Why not
read up on some of the water compnay websites before spreading
misinformation? Try
http://www.3valleys.co.uk/home/ah_be...ught_dom.shtml which lists
a dozen or more perfectly legitimate uses of a hose during a hosepipe
ban.

Last year a
lady got prosecuted for using a hose connected to a rain barrel, nuts!

Then she could sue because no-one had any right to prosecute her.