flicka Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I was not sure if the Hosepipe ban would apply to filling the Motorhome Fresh Water Tank, so had a look at our water company website. In their FAQ'a was:- "About hosepipe bans What can't I do when I'm on a hosepipe ban? " One of the "can't do's" listed is "Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use." So I contacted Anglian Water by e-mail for clarification or confirmation. "Regarding the introduction of the Hosepipe ban on 5th April 2012 Could you please clarify to following - We have a Motorhome with an on-board Water Tank with a hose filling point. From the restrictions listed, it appears that I can no longer fill this Water Tank using a hosepipe, is that correct ? Also does this apply when on Caravan Sites within the Hosepipe ban area ?" Thankfully I've received a positive reply:- Anglian Water’s response:- "Dear Mr Fletcher Thank you for your email. You are able to use a hosepipe to fill the water tank in your motor home during the ban without fear of a fine. The use of a hosepipe to facilitate drinking, cooking and toilet water in recreational vehicles such as boats and motor homes is acceptable. Regards, Anglian Water Customer Services" Hopefully other Water Companies will have the same outlook. But I think I will carry a copy of AW's reply with us when out & about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 In the unlikely event of being detected filling your MH with a hose and being susbequently prosecuted, it would make wonderfull mitigation in court to point out that, Whilst away in van you will use no more and almost certainly use less water than when at home. Who knows common sense might prevail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brit_Stops Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Many thanks for that, John. The question had crossed my mind too! I may create a diversion from my filler cap to the sprinkler on the lawn now... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Campsites are commercial premises, so the hosepipe ban doesn't apply there. However, for domestic use, which would include deploying a hosepipe to fill a motorhome at residential premises, there's no specific mention of it within the chapter and verse, which by definition would suggest it's OK to do so. This is the relevant piece of legislation, which can easily be found if you Google it: 2010 No. 2231 WATER INDUSTRY, ENGLAND AND WALES The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 However, just to confuse us, my water authority states: "The Ban prohibits all uses of hosepipes at domestic properties, unless the hosepipe is being used to carry out a commercial activity." Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 A very interesting thread John.... ;-) ...and it's good to hear that you had an encouraging response from your water company..lets hope that,if the ban spreads,the same will apply across the board.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'm begining to think I'm missing out somewhere here. Just what recreational facilities using water have people got in their motorhomes, waterslides, padling pools? All we use the water for is domestic purposes, washing, cooking etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 colin - 2012-03-22 11:21 AM I'm begining to think I'm missing out somewhere here. Just what recreational facilities using water have people got in their motorhomes, waterslides, padling pools? All we use the water for is domestic purposes, washing, cooking etc. You missed the bit that says It's the vehicle that is being used for recreational use, not the water. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 malc d - 2012-03-22 11:29 AM colin - 2012-03-22 11:21 AM I'm begining to think I'm missing out somewhere here. Just what recreational facilities using water have people got in their motorhomes, waterslides, padling pools? All we use the water for is domestic purposes, washing, cooking etc. You missed the bit that says It's the vehicle that is being used for recreational use, not the water. ;-) Ah, a waterbed then, is that what you mean? We use our van you living in whilst away from home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 colin - 2012-03-22 11:34 AM malc d - 2012-03-22 11:29 AM colin - 2012-03-22 11:21 AM I'm begining to think I'm missing out somewhere here. Just what recreational facilities using water have people got in their motorhomes, waterslides, padling pools? All we use the water for is domestic purposes, washing, cooking etc. You missed the bit that says It's the vehicle that is being used for recreational use, not the water. ;-) Ah, a waterbed then, is that what you mean? We use our van you living in whilst away from home. You'll have to take it up with Anglian Water Colin if you want to know what they mean by a recreational vehicle. I can't help you with that. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel the editor Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 This article may help - although there remains confusion with some of the water companies over what is and isn't allowed! www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Motorhomes/News/General/Motorhome-confusion-over-hosepipe-ban/_ch1_nw1984_pg1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 So to wash the car I need to fill up the camper and then run the hose from there :D............good tip John :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I've received a positive and quick reply to my email this morning from my water provider. This was my email: ************************************************************** Hello. I've read through The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 and can see the specific instances where a hosepipe is not permitted during the duration of the ban. What I am trying to establish is whether other domestic uses which do not fall within the specific headings, eg, watering a garden, cleaning a private motor vehicle, etc, are acceptable. Surrey and East Surrey Water states: "The Ban prohibits all uses of hosepipes at domestic properties, unless the hosepipe is being used to carry out a commercial activity." Can you tell me what legislation you would rely on to enforce that blanket statement? I ask because I have a motorhome which contains a water tank for washing, toilet flush, etc, which I usually fill with a hosepipe. If the ban were to include this action, then I would simply use exactly the same amount of water to fill the same tank using numerous trips back and forth with a five litre canister. Surely, a degree of commonsense is called for here, and that as a water authority your press releases and statements to consumers should only refer to all domestic uses if in fact you can enforce that in law. However, if on the other hand it's accepted there are situations beyond filling swimming pools, watering lawns and cleaning cars, whereby there's no problem using a hosepipe, then this should be made clear. I await your reply with interest. Thank you. Shaun *************************************************************************** The response I then received is as follows: *************************************************************************** Dear Mr Daley Thank you for your email. You are correct that the wording of our fact sheet does not precisely reflect the wording of the official notice. It is the official notice that will determine the powers the company has to enforce the hosepipe ban. As such, the use of hosepipes for purposes not explicitly referred to in the notice is not prohibited. However, the purpose of the notice (and the ban) is to bring to peoples’ attention the risk there is to water supplies as a result of the significant lack of rainfall. We are therefore asking all our customers to support us in finding ways to reduce their consumption for non-essential purposes during his time. This is currently expressed as a hosepipe ban under the terms of the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010. If the necessary reduction in demand does not materialise then more stringent restrictions will most likely be necessary in the forthcoming period. Of course what we are banning is not the activities themselves, just the use of a hosepipe to carry out that activity. The implication is that using hosepipes for the specified activities will lead to more profligate use. In the example you set out in your email, the volume of use would be the same irrespective of how the water was transferred. The Company would not therefore pursue any action against someone using a hosepipe in this way. Nevertheless, we would ask that you minimise the use of your water wherever possible in your mobile home, just as we are asking customers to do so within their normal places of residence. I hope that this has clarified our position on this matter. Thank you once again for bringing this inconsistency to our attention. Yours sincerely Jeremy Downer Head of Customer Services Sutton & East Surrey Water Tel : 01737 785806 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 So what about jet washers? I guess these hand car washes on every street in London are commercial so exempt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-03-22 2:18 PM So what about jet washers? I guess these hand car washes on every street in London are commercial so exempt? Yep, bit of a joke realy, it will be illegal to hose wash your own vehicle, but you can take to the local Poles and pay to get it jet washed *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I am sorry, I know this is a serious topic, and when I read the posts I was thankful that the question had been raised. Made me stop and think. But my imagination ran riot……..I envisaged a covert operations of night fillings in black clothes with blacked faces or should that be white clothes and faces to blend in with the motorhome. Like I said sorry, but it has brought a lovely grin to my face at work. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 colin - 2012-03-22 2:30 PM JudgeMental - 2012-03-22 2:18 PM So what about jet washers? I guess these hand car washes on every street in London are commercial so exempt? Yep, bit of a joke realy, it will be illegal to hose wash your own vehicle, but you can take to the local Poles and pay to get it jet washed *-) I am going to charge myself to wash my own car on a commercial basis you understand *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Why don't you all come to Yorkshire? We've got loads of water here, no hosepipe bans and some of the best scenery in the UK if not Europe. You'd be made most welcome too-providing you spend some of your hard earned in our towns & villages. You can even wash your van while you're here-and you won't need to go the the carwash (Ours are mostly Kurds rather than Poles as a matter of fact!) See you soon? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Or come to Porstmouth. We do not have a ban (yet) PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark hinde Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 One point to consider would be how much water you dump when you are leaving the site. Perhaps we should try and limit the water put on-board to reduce the waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Wow! I've just had an email from Out & About Live concerning this issue, well done to them. Here's the body of the message........... With the confusion over whether motorhomers in the south of the country can or can’t fill their water tanks using a hosepipe we have successfully petitioned two of the water companies in the affected areas to exempt motorhomes from the hosepipe bans that are coming into force early next month. However, there are still several water companies that have either not yet clarified the situation or are still in consultation. Readers are advised to check with their water supplier after April 5 before filling up using a hosepipe. Meanwhile, it is not all bad news – the former Brownhills site in Preston is now under new ownership, which is great news for motorhomers in the area. And, Ford is starting to let details of its new – and much anticipated – Transit to come out ahead of its official launch next month. In addition, those of you heading north of the border this summer are in for cheaper ferry tickets after the Scottish government agreed to reducing prices after a successful trial. Read on for more… Happy motorhoming! Daniel Attwood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Its not just in the South of the Country that are having hosepipe bans, here in Lincolnshire we will soon have one too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 No problem with our water company, as it is for domestic use its OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 A guy on the radio said that during the last hosepipe ban he got an offical warning for using his hosepipe to syphon off his used bath water on to his flower beds . Apparantly a neighbour had reported him when he had seen the hosepipe hanging out of his bathroom window. That's jobs worth justice for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 To avoid colossal water bills most commercial car washes recycle the water they use. Just what happens to the crud that gets washed off vehicles is probably yet another can of worms(dead ones if they eat the crud). Is there a market for stealth spec hose pipes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 No ban here - yet - but this thread has set me wondering. I have an outside tap, and hardstanding so I can park the van right next to it for filling up. I use a 3ft hose, but that's still a "hosepipe" - I don't think there's a length limit! Suppose I joined together a couple of lengths of rigid copper pipe, with corners where necessary, so I could screw the whole thing onto the tap and it would just neatly stick into the van's filler. No-one could describe that as a "hosepipe," yet it would be doing precisely the same job. What do you think? Is there a market for these?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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