Hosepipe ban

JohnB47

I have a medium sized garden pond - no fish but numerous types of the usual pond life. To top it up recently (twice this year) I've used a garden hose to fill a water butt to which I add a conditioner to prepare the water for the pond. I then attach the hose to the butt tap and let it drain into the pond. (I have three large water butts and normally use these to top up the pond but they've been dry for weeks now).

Now that we've been included in the hosepipe ban, I'm wondering if I must stop using the hose to fill up the butt. Otherwise I would have to back-and-forth fill it with numerous watering cans.

I could just add the water to the pond using watering cans but this would be tiresom and would be complicated adding tiny amounts of conditioner to each watering can. (I add only 19ml to a full water butt).

The SWW advice on ponds is:

Do not use a hosepipe to fill or top up a garden pond, water feature or fountain.

You can use a hosepipe if:

You need to fill a pond to keep fish or other aquatic animals healthy

Where a pond or pool is used as part of a recognised religious practice

You need to fill an ornamental fountain if it is needed to supply oxygen to fish

Surely every pond has "other aquatic animals".

So what do you recon?

FlorayG

You can legally use a hosepipe to fill a water butt.

I assume the logic in this is that you are not wasting any water as you would if just leaving the hose running

Woodstok2000

Every pond will have a variety of life, but most of that life will need less water than fish, and will have the option of looking elsewhere if the water level gets too low.

I would say by the wording of the rules you shouldn't use your hosepipe at all in filling the pond, either directly or via water butts. By the spirit of the rules you should probably avoid topping up the pond at all unless its absolutely necessary.

JohnB47

Thanks both.

FlorayG, where did you get that information? I'm with South West Water.

Perhaps I just have to resign myself to adding 1ml of conditioner to each full watering can and use that method to top up the pond. Same amount of water, bigger backache.

Brie

what happens if you attach a hose to your water butt and allow a gravity flow to the pond? you're not attached to a pipe so it's not part of a hose pipe ban???

JohnB47

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099569#Comment_82099569

That's exactly what I have been doing up til now. Filling a water butt using a hose from outside tap to butt, add conditioner to the butt water, then moving the hose to the butt tap and letting it fill the pond by gravity.

What I'm asking is for opinions on whether that's legally acceptable.

If there was any rain water left in the butt I wouldn't be asking the question.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099569#Comment_82099569

Unfortunately OP states that the butts have run dry (which I think is the title of a Woody Guthrie song).

Grumpy_chap

have a medium sized garden pond - no fish but numerous types of the usual pond life. To top it up recently (twice this year) I've used a garden hose to fill a water butt to which I add a conditioner to prepare the water for the pond. I then attach the hose to the butt tap and let it drain into the pond. (I have three large water butts and normally use these to top up the pond but they've been dry for weeks now).

Now that we've been included in the hosepipe ban, I'm wondering if I must stop using the hose to fill up the butt. Otherwise I would have to back-and-forth fill it with numerous watering cans.

I could just add the water to the pond using watering cans but this would be tiresom and would be complicated adding tiny amounts of conditioner to each watering can. (I add only 19ml to a full water butt).

The SWW advice on ponds is:

Do not use a hosepipe to fill or top up a garden pond, water feature or fountain.

You can use a hosepipe if:

You need to fill a pond to keep fish or other aquatic animals healthy

Where a pond or pool is used as part of a recognised religious practice

You need to fill an ornamental fountain if it is needed to supply oxygen to fish

Surely every pond has "other aquatic animals".

So what do you recon?

You should not use a hosepipe to fill a pond.

Using a hosepipe to fill a water butt from which you then fill the pond is pretty much the same thing so you should not do it.

Really, even filling the pond using watering cans is against the spirit of the restrictions even if compliant with the letter of the restrictions.

Whatever happened to community shared responsibility?

Will those that have found ingenious work arounds to circumvent the constraints of the hose pipe restrictions be the first to complain if more stringent constraints come into effect?

The EA, OFWAT and DEFRA are currently considering allowing at least 3 Water supply companies to provide water only for restricted hours each day. This weather is extremely exceptional and we all need to adapt. It is not just up to everyone else.

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099534#Comment_82099534

Do you have a link that states this is legal?

A neighbour of mine has a veg plot in her garden and since the hosepipe ban last has been using a watering can to water the plot.

She has water butts but me and my partner have been round a few times to assist her.

She is in her 70's and not on the PR .

She called Affinity water and asked and they said no so maybe water companies have different rules.

subjecttocontract

In line with the rules for SWW that you have posted......can't you just pop down to your local pet shop & buy a goldfish, put it in your pond, then you can top it up to keep it healthy. This won't keep the purists happy but rules is rules.

We are with E&SW and are exempt......because we have a 'blue badge' and other exemptions.

Grumpy_chap

From Affinity Water

During the temporary use ban, a hosepipe cannot be used to fill a water butt or other storage container (that is not hand held).

Faq - can I still water my garden?

https://www.affinitywater.co.uk/hosepipeban-faqs