Hosepipe ban

Grumpy_chap

South West Water also seems clear:

The water you’re using is not from the mains supply (it’s taken from a water butt or other recycled water storage system).

Faq general exceptions

https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/environment/water-resources/hosepipe-ban/hosepipe-ban-faqs/exceptions#general-exceptions

Read as a whole sentence, that is clear the water from a water butt only ok if it did not come from the mains but is part of a recycled water system.

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099607#Comment_82099607

Many goldfish won't survive in a garden pond, even if they avoid succumbing to predators.

The exemptions for blue badge holders and others still do not detract from the need to honour the spirit and shared social responsibility to use less water where possible.

double_dutchy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099629#Comment_82099629

It would be easier to make a case for "shared social responsibility" if OUR water hadn't been sold for profit

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099632#Comment_82099632

Whether water is nationalised or private enterprise would not affect the current weather impacts.

IIRC, there was another thread recently where an individual who was a blue badge holder mentioned that, because they were exempt, they had kept their sprinkler going so had the only green lawn in the street. That is clearly not in the spirit of the restrictions.

Keep_pedalling

I never top up our small pond with a hose as tap water needs to stand for 24 hours before adding to your pond. I use rain water from our water butts as long as possible, but now I top up every couple of days with a couple of cans filled up the day before. If you do it at very regular intervals you only need to compensate for evaporation.

subjecttocontract

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82099629#Comment_82099629

I have a shower once a month wether I need it or not. Most of my neighbours shower every day, so my social responsibility has already been answered. 😉😉

j2009

Hi

Your original post references aquatic life which I understand to be plants. However, where there is aquatic life there will more likely than not be aquatic animals. This can include insects that are part of the pond eco-system. If they meant only fish they would have said fish.

So, unless you are certain there is zero aquatic life then as I can see you’re allowed to use a hose.

The use of water butts is to enable effective mixing conditioner to support your pond eco systems and you could use any kind of tank for that purpose but you use water butts. It is not for storage.

So yes, you can fill your water butts because the water from them is going directly to the pond; think of the water butts as a particularly large and unusual connector for attaching two hoses together between your tap and the pond.

Hope this puts your mind at rest.

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82100228#Comment_82100228

I would not agree that is in line with the SWW FAQ

Ponds and fountains

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

Aquatic animals is not just any insect or fly that can live in/near water

aquatic animals

Aquatic animals are living creatures that spend most or all of their lives in water. They can live in fresh water like rivers or salt water like oceans. They breathe using gills, through their skin, or by coming up to the surface for air.

Types of Aquatic Animals

Fish: Animals with backbones and gills, like salmon, tuna, and sharks.

Marine Mammals: Warm-blooded animals that breathe air, like whales, dolphins, and seals.

Molluscs: Soft-bodied animals that often have shells, like octopuses, squids, and snails.

Crustaceans: Shellfish with jointed legs, like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.

Cnidarians: Soft creatures with stinging tentacles, like jellyfish and sea anemones

.Reptiles and Amphibians: Cold-blooded animals like sea turtles, sea snakes, and frogs.

Boohoo

I think some people are interpreting the filling of water butts for other uses that suits them and their agenda.

Andy_L

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

no you can't

"Definition of “using a hosepipe”

3.—(1) Using a hosepipe, in relation to a purpose in section 76(2) of the Act, includes the following—

(a)drawing relevant water through a hosepipe from a container and applying it for the purpose;

(b)filling or partly filling a container with relevant water by means of a hosepipe and applying it for the purpose."

ie you can't:

use a hose connected to your water butt, if the water in it came from the mains (eg you have a tap above the water butt) so you could still fill it with graywater & use a hose.

use a hose to fill a butt from the mains.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2231/article/3