Hosepipe Ban

Thames Water’s PR machine has been working overtime again trying to encourage their customers to continue saving water. Their website has published details of how to have a “water-wise Easter” (how many marketing people did it take to dream that one up?). They also state that a hosepipe ban this year should be “extemely unlikely”.

Lesley Tait, Water Efficiency Manager at Thames Water, said: “The good news is that the wet winter has topped up the vital underground water sources that keep rivers replenished during summer months. Barring an exceptional protracted dry spell, it is extremely unlikely that we will need to introduce a hosepipe ban this year.

“But climate change and population growth in our region mean we all need to continue to save water where we can, all year round, not just during droughts or hot spells. Across the south east, there are more and more of us using more and more water, so we all need to find better ways of using the resources we do have.

“We know that message applies to Thames Water too. That’s why we are continuing to work hard to drive down leakage, particularly in London, where losses are highest. For example, our work to replace the capital’s Victorian water mains has now passed the 400 mile mark, and we are on track to meet the overall reduction targets set for by our regulator Ofwat.”

Here’s Thames Water’s handy checklist for Easter gardeners:

• Install a water butt to make good use of the rain that does fall;

• Dig in plenty of organic material like well-rotted compost or farmyard manure to improve the water-retaining properties of the soil;

• Apply a deep mulch of organic material to keep moisture in and weeds out;

• Consider making more use of plants from drier countries, like geraniums, lavenders and many useful kitchen herbs;

• Reduce water loss through evaporation by protecting the garden from wind. Fences, walls and hedges all make good windbreaks.

• Water occasionally but thoroughly to promote deep, healthy root growth. Although it is important to keep germinating seeds and plantlets moist, once established constant watering can do more harm than good, encouraging roots to stay near the surface.

• Invest in a hand-held trigger hose, or use a watering can, to focus the water at the base of plants where it will do most good. Sprinklers are particularly wasteful, as they use as much water in one hour as a family of four does in an entire day. Much of this also lands on foliage and is lost to the plants.

• Don’t cut your grass too short. That way it will stay green longer if drought hits.

Perhaps you have some handy tips to give to Thames Water so that they can save water too? Please leave your comment below.