[Sunshine Meadows]

I just heard on the news there is now a hosepipe ban in the South and East. I am in the East Midlands so went to the Severn Trent website to check the rules, but there is not a ban here yet.

When a hosepipe ban is in place are disabled people still allowed to use hosepipes?
Also to the disabled gardeners here how do you feel about using a hosepipe when your able bodied neighbours can't? My neighbours are okay and wont mind about any exemption I get but others might.

[ditchdwellers]

Apparently, if you have a Blue Badge then you are exempt from the ban.  You are allowed to water your own garden and allotment using a hosepipe.

I'm grateful to hear this (as I'm in a hosepipe ban area), although my husband tends to do most of the watering and generally uses a watering can anyway.  I can imagine that there will be some of the usual jealousies and malicious reporting of disabled people using hosepipes, and it may put some people off watering their gardens.  I think it also depends on how much watering is being done.  If it's just veg and pots etc, then I think that's fine, but if people start watering their lawns with a hosepipe, and have lush flower borders when everyone else is struggling with parched and dried up plants, then I think that's a bit much.

[seegee]

Thames Water are one of the companies who have a ban, their website says as well as Blue Badge holders, there's an exclusion for:-
"using a hosepipe in a garden or for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, a private leisure boat or an artificial outdoor surface, where such use is necessary for health and safety reasons"
 - I suppose that could be read to mean that if it would be likely to damage your health or safety to carry washing-up-bowls/ buckets/ watering cans then you can use a hosepipe; if you phone your water company they will probably be able to clarify things.

[Sofie]

why only blue badge holders and not all disabled people?

[Hurtyback]

I have heard that each water board has slightly different rules regarding exemptions from the hosepipe ban.
 
I have a blue badge, I cannot see why that means that my garden can be watered when my neighbour's can't!

[KizzyKazaer]

Sofie and Hurty - I am guessing it's based on the fact that if you already qualify for a Blue Badge, you must have significant enough mobility difficulties for it to be a real problem if you had to carry containers of water back and forth.  That would make sense to me, any road up..

[Am_I_Me?]

Thames Water are one of the companies who have a ban, their website says as well as Blue Badge holders, there's an exclusion for:-
"using a hosepipe in a garden or for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, a private leisure boat or an artificial outdoor surface, where such use is necessary for health and safety reasons"

I need to go live in that area. I'm in east midlands (NOTTS for the win lol) when not at uni, and I dont know anyone with a private leisure boat. Must be more common over there lol

[meandmurphy]

I have heard that each water board has slightly different rules regarding exemptions from the hosepipe ban.
 
I have a blue badge, I cannot see why that means that my garden can be watered when my neighbour's can't!

Your neighbour's garden can be watered, but not with a hosepipe.

[dustyflower]

Thames Water are one of the companies who have a ban, their website says as well as Blue Badge holders, there's an exclusion for:-
"using a hosepipe in a garden or for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, a private leisure boat or an artificial outdoor surface, where such use is necessary for health and safety reasons"

I need to go live in that area. I'm in east midlands (NOTTS for the win lol) when not at uni, and I dont know anyone with a private leisure boat. Must be more common over there lol

sheffield and notts have canals.. buy yourself a barge...

[Am_I_Me?]

Thames Water are one of the companies who have a ban, their website says as well as Blue Badge holders, there's an exclusion for:-
"using a hosepipe in a garden or for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, a private leisure boat or an artificial outdoor surface, where such use is necessary for health and safety reasons"

I need to go live in that area. I'm in east midlands (NOTTS for the win lol) when not at uni, and I dont know anyone with a private leisure boat. Must be more common over there lol

sheffield and notts have canals.. buy yourself a barge...

with what money? I'm a student lol
I think that might count as a missuse of my loans lol

[sherbs]

Gosh, this is all new to me, i have a blue badge but never considered using a hospepipe as i am in the banned area, Cant really get my head around that one,    will just struggle with the old watering can as usual. 

[TemporallyLoopy]

As Kizzy says, I guess that they use a Blue Badge as a guideline for someone being unlikely to be capable of physically carrying buckets or watering cans which does make some sense.

I did not even know that these provisos existed until recently (as thankfully I am in a wetter part of the country) but saw them in a newspaper a few weeks ago for a water company called something like "Veola" (not sure whereabouts it was in the country).  Their warning notice did say that those with Blue Badges (and others who were disabled / ill / infirm etc) were potentially exempt from the hosepipe ban. 

HOWEVER, you did need to register in advance with them for this exemption.

It is worthwhile checking though as I would imagine, like all other things in life, all these companies have different rules and differents ways of doing things.  I am sure though that it would involve pre-registration, not just a case of waving a Blue Badge at your neighbours and water company inspectors (and making yourself very popular) LOL 

T.Loopy

[auntieCtheM]

I have never watered my lawn - so it will still be green when it rains and browny when there is no rain.  My doggie, the main user of the lawn, does not seem to mind  too much whatever state it is in.

I'll check up whether I have to register in advance.  Thanks for letting me know. 

I have bought some small plants that I want to put out when this frosty period is over.  I'd like to at least water them in for a few days.  I will do it when everyone else is out at work so people do not know.

There was a lot of talk some years ago about making Mediterranean gardens as the weather was supposed to be getting hotter.  So I have mainly native shrubs that need little water.  The birds are very good to me and now I have a new horse chestnut tree in the back garden which I am cherishing.  It grows about 6' a year, it is very exciting to watch.  I will definitely water this tree.

[Sunshine Meadows]

If it's just veg and pots etc, then I think that's fine, but if people start watering their lawns with a hosepipe, and have lush flower borders when everyone else is struggling with parched and dried up plants, then I think that's a bit much.

I agree. 

TemporallyLoopy,

Thank you for the extra information about pre-registration. I hope various water companys publicise the exemption for disabled people so they will know and able bodies people will know why it is okay for some people to water their gardens.

Something else I was thinking of is the way it takes years to create a mature garden and how disabled people have less money and physical opportunity to buy new plants and change things is a hard summer and lack of rain ruins their gardens.

In the old days groups like the scouts would have volunteered to go out and help the 'old and infirm' but I guess that is unlikely these days.