Hosepipe ban question

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thames Water Ban hits today and of course one of the cars is covered in bird crap.

I know I can wash the car with buckets, and I know I can use “grey water” for a pressure washer with a pickup pipe (which I have), but what are the legalities with running a pressure washer with a pickup pipe from buckets of water run from a tap? I’ve no idea how quickly a pressure washer gets through water (I want to say that actually they’re quite water efficient but I don’t know).

I suspect I might get a visit from the water police, but what’s the legal position? Assuming I only get through 4 or 5 buckets it’s not going to be using any more water than using a bucket of water to rinse…

[Dogwatch]

OK so long as there is no direct connection between tap and washer.

Plod aren't interested as it's a civil matter

Apparently no one has ever been prosecuted for it by the water companies

[JagYouAre]

Pretty sure you'll be ok; you might get a bit of tutting from the neighbours.

You could always take it to a car wash as I think commercial enterprises are not affected by the ban.

[K87]

I was surprised, perhaps the wrong word, that the police do not want to hear from neighbours who report hoseipe users.

If I was in your wellies I would use buckets of water, ideally from a water butt and get rid of the the bird crap, only, Personally I don't like to attempt to wash a dirty car without a lot of water from a hose pipe, I would rather leave it dirty.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks chaps. Might give it a go. Sadly I don’t have a water butt (and if I bought one now it would be empty ) - could use leftover bath water which would make the car smell of grapefruit so that might stop our cat sitting on it

[InitialDave]

Using a watering can with no rose on it is a good way to rinse off a car, and if you've waxed it previously and get your "sluicing" action right, the water left behind to dry off is minimal.

[vikingaero]

I bought a couple of 25 litre water containers from Facebook Marketplace for £3 each. I fill them up to 20l, use the handle to lift them to the car, plonk the suction hose end in and use the jetwash. Rinse & repeat.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

i was naughty i filled a watering can from a hose pipe

[sjg]

A small domestic pressure washer is around 6 litres a minute.

Discovered Optimum No Rinse last year though, instead of my usual snowfoam/rinse before using it I'll just put ONR in a garden sprayer to get the worst off before sponging and drying.

[Neddy Sea Goon]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

i was naughty i filled a watering can from a hose pipe

No you wasn't, that's allowed

[juice]

sjg said:

A small domestic pressure washer is around 6 litres a minute.

Discovered Optimum No Rinse last year though, instead of my usual snowfoam/rinse before using it I'll just put ONR in a garden sprayer to get the worst off before sponging and drying.

Was about to suggest ONR (Or equivalent). Fantastic stuff

[ChocolateFrog]

K87 said:

I was surprised, perhaps the wrong word, that the police do not want to hear from neighbours who report hoseipe users.

.

Why on earth would you be surprised at that. What kind of dystopia world do you think we live in where the police are going to come round and speak to you about using some water that you've paid for.

[ChocolateFrog]

OP Just go to your local garage that has a pressure washer you pay for by the minute. Would only be £1 if all you wanted to do was get some bird crap off.

[Simpo Two]

ChocolateFrog said:

K87 said:

I was surprised, perhaps the wrong word, that the police do not want to hear from neighbours who report hoseipe users.

.

Why on earth would you be surprised at that. What kind of dystopia world do you think we live in where the police are going to come round and speak to you about using some water that you've paid for.

Because its use is banned. But yes hardly a criminal matter. We already have parking nazis who come round every day in their little car to catch the unwary; we don't need more on our tax bills.

[Carlososos]

Neddy Sea Goon said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

i was naughty i filled a watering can from a hose pipe

No you wasn't, that's allowed

What if you put a spout on a paddling pool and then fill it up with a hosepipe is that allowed?

[Register1]

My 1000 liter IBC has a hose attached.
Battery pump, all is good.
I can catch water off 3 of my 4 roof elevations.
On a good rainy day, I can catch 500 liters.

[K87]

Simpo Two said:

ChocolateFrog said:

K87 said:

I was surprised, perhaps the wrong word, that the police do not want to hear from neighbours who report hoseipe users.

.

Why on earth would you be surprised at that. What kind of dystopia world do you think we live in where the police are going to come round and speak to you about using some water that you've paid for.

Because its use is banned. But yes hardly a criminal matter. We already have parking nazis who come round every day in their little car to catch the unwary; we don't need more on our tax bills.

Thank you. My reasoning was that if anything is banned then logically you need an enforcement process which logically needs a visit by someone in authority to verify the claim. I cannot imagine that the water company will despatch staff and the police say 'don't call us'.

Therefore a ban with a £1000 fine may be just a warning shot without any enforcement process to make it real.

[Simpo Two]

K87 said:

Thank you. My reasoning was that if anything is banned then logically you need an enforcement process which logically needs a visit by someone in authority to verify the claim. I cannot imagine that the water company will despatch staff and the police say 'don't call us'.

Therefore a ban with a £1000 fine may be just a warning shot without any enforcement process to make it real.

It's really a question of reasonable moral responsibility. If water is short, try not to use more than needed. Some of my neighbours were out watering their gardens saying 'Doing it now before the ban'. But all it does it make a ban more likely, or sooner. 'Blitz spirit' if you like; if everyone pulls together further problems can be averted.

[anonymous-user]

In the time taken to pose the question. You could have washed it off with a bucket of water, filled by a tap!

[eliot]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Thaknow).

I suspect I might get a visit from the water police,

You are more likely to be plastered all over your local town’s facebook group tbh.
When my hot tub water needs changing, I plumb in a pump and feed my pressure washer with it - looking forward to trolling the local curtain twitchers come the time.