Some people are unbelievable

My mum used to say "none so queer as folk"
she was right some people never heed any advice my neighbors have just filled a huge inflatable pool for their 2 children. twice using a hose then tipped the lot on the lawn
jet wash the cars and bikes wont be told.
we all have to learn to conserve this precious commodity
do our bit as they say .
i
I have used a water less car wash for some years and before you ask it does not scratch the paint the car is only 4 years old DON'T waste this resource

I still water my vegetable garden very carefully in the evening, spraying water directly on the roots of the currant bushes and only for a very short time. I do the same with the rhubarb and herb beds.

Here there is no ban in place, but most of us are being very careful with water.

I save the water used for peeling potatoes or cleaning other vegetables for the garden, This morning I watered the flower beds very briefly, for the first time in over two weeks, otherwise they make do with rain-water collected when there is a thunder shower.

I was furious on Sunday to hear (and see) my neighbour pressure washing her footpath and slabs - and all done in the blazing mid-day sun. Such a terrible waste of water and not even using it for plants or lawn! Grrrrrr..... I was so angry at her inconsideration especially as I received two texts from Severn Trent asking us all to try and save water at the same time she was doing it! I was tempted to go out and speak to her, but thought better of it as didn’t want to cause bad feeling. To make matters worse, the ruddy pressure washer was so loud - and there was me, trying to have a peaceful Sunday in the garden. Signed “Angry of Rugby”

I started saving water before requests to do so .
I have save bath/shower water to use to flush the toilet.
Since 1976 I have carried on saving water by not leaving tap running while cleaning teeth save rain water for garden .
I remember the stand pipes and not being able to use washer machine nightmare with Terry Nappies

As I was walking the dog this morning at 7.00 am I met a familiar dog walking face who told me that as she was paying £110.00 a month for water she was jolly well going to use it and boasted that every lawn in the avenue except hers is brown but she leaves the sprinkler on for three hours every evening and her lawn is lush. I am on a water meter, have two water butts and use a big tub into which to run the water until it runs warm and keep it for the garden and also use any "grey" water for that purpose.

Having lived in Botswana where water is at a premium we have lived through days of no water. People in the UK are spoilt and unrealistic about how precious a commodity it is. Every spare bit of water is recycled and used in Botswana. If we lose a lawn during a drought it is not a catstrophe...it will come back with the rains. I find now I am back in the UK I am still recycling and cannot bear to waste any of it. I would say that member of the community is extremely selfish!

In the 70’s DH was involved in freshwater ecology and plans were drawn up for new reservoirs and more importantly for a connecting network of pipes to move stored water. Some work done on reservoirs and the rest of the plans shelved. As the weather has changed and the population grown, it’s time to get building, particularly for the south east.

On the BBC news last night they talked about this and of course it makes sense for us all to use as little water as possible at the moment but, in another part of the news, they were on what I think is called Westminster Green, outside the Houses of Parliament, and there was a sprinkler working away. Seems all wrong to me.

Some years ago there was a hose pipe ban in Sussex where my Aunt, then aged 94, lived. She's very frugal at the best of times (even now at 103) and decided to use her bath water to water the plants and wash her car (which she no longer drives TG!). She half filled a bucket, took it downstairs backwards step by step, until the bath was empty. I had to plead with her not to repeat the performance ever again. So there are those in this world who do - and those who don't give a fig

Severn Trent were on the ‘box’ last night, asking people to use water with care! The reservoirs are full it’s the treatment works that can’t speed up any more.

We haven't been told of any problems here (Severn Trent Water) but we dont water the garden in any big way as we are on a meter as is everyone else round here. Not giving up baths - but its too hot to do anything but shower but I do have 2 sometimes 3 a day (if I am having been doing sport).

Oh...I see you meant meant on that website saying they had paid for it. Too early, my brian not yet sufficiently caffeinated.

Well that about sums up exactly why I felt our local ‘spotted’ site - the kind of people on it.

Perhaps not everybody is on that ‘spotted’ website Kitty. We have one for our town but it was inhabited by some awful people so I ‘unfollowed’ it.

Great tip aggie. Our shower takes ages to get to the right temperature.

Following a tip (on GN ?) I took a bucket in the shower and collected the cool water before the supply heated up for my shower , it half filled the bucket and that watered the tomatoes in the greenhouse, the water used to rinse the cups etc was used to water some of the newly planted wee plants , the newish grass just has to suffer

I have watered newly planted plants only, and done it late at night for maximum benefit.
My bath is very small. I have calculated that I actually use less water in it, than when I have a shower. It is an over bath shower, so one day I put the plug in and I was surprised just how much water I used.

Since buying a moisture meter to check our pots, we only water then now and then, not daily.Soil is often dry on top but wet half way down the pot.

callgirl black listed in reality then?!

We are allowing the lawns to brown, grass is hard to kill off, the roots will be ok.
All deep rooted plants should be ok too, but anything with shallow roots or newly planted will need some water now and then.
As we have a water meter fitted, we try and use watering cans only.

I water my new plants, my vegetables in the evening, no spraying it all over the place, just aimed at where it is needed. The lawn is brown and will stay so until it rains, and I have deferred buying new shrubs for the planned new bed until the rain starts or until the autumn. It is all about being sensible surely, irrespective of whether one has 'paid' for it or not?

I will carry on using the hosepipe to water our potted plants, but I never water the lawns, they will soon recover, the roses are looking a bit sorry for themselves so they might get a splash tomorrow.

But I object to being blamed when our Water Authority is notorious for leaking pipes and the local Pub and Hotel have their sprinklers on all day for their gardens, no doubt their guests are having plenty of baths and long showers.

If we are short of water, it would be much fairer to issue a hosepipe ban for everyone and do it quickly before we run out all together.

I confess that I am using the hose. I have a newly planted large flower bed and have spent a lot on it. We have not been told that there is any problem with water at present; and I am watering sparingly late in the evening so nothing evaporates and every drop is hitting the spot. If a hose pipe ban is called then I will obviously have to use a watering can and hope that they come through - they all look so lovely!

I remember during that other hot summer in 1976, we drove down to S.Devon, and as we were driving along a narrow country lane in Modbury, there was a cottage painted black all over, and written on the end wall, facing oncoming traffic, it said in big white letters that the house had been painted black because the occupants had ignored the hosepipe ban.

Well we’re not using any more water than usual, we’ve stopped having baths and have very short showers.
Our grass is brown and lots of plants are looking a little sad. We still have some water in our final water butt. If we have to resort to watering some pots with tap water we will but feel that what we’ve saved on baths we help to absolve us.
Some people are so selfish.

No definitely not being unreasonable . Some people don’t give a toss about anyone else as long as they are ok.
At least you will know who Not to help should they ever need any .

On the NW news, United Utilities were reported as saying that there's no shortage of water in the reservoirs but they can't get it through the waterworks quickly enough for the increased demand. A couple of months ago, there was a major burst in our village, not far from Chewbacca's. We had several massive water tankers topping up the supply while the mains gushed thousands of gallons away.