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Earlier this year, providers like Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, South East Water, and Southern Water enforced a temporary usage ban (TUB) for millions of Brits.
This is also known as a hosepipe ban.
And on Tuesday, 21 July, Thames Water announced that it will join them.
The company will implement a TUB “for customers who receive their water supply from Thames Water” (it doesn’t include people who only get waste water services from them, though).
Here’s why it’s in place, who it may affect, and what a hosepipe ban actually means in practice:
Why did Thames Water announce a hosepipe ban?
Their site says it’s due to a mixture of dry weather, long heatwaves, little rain, high demand and forecasts that suggest we’ll have more hot spells this year.
Thames Water’s director of strategic water resources, Nevil Muncaster, said: “We would not be taking this step unless it was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment.”
When does Thames Water’s hosepipe ban come into effect and when will it end?
The TUB will officially come into effect on Thursday, 23 July.
Thames Water does not yet know when the TUB will end, saying that “restrictions will be lifted as soon as conditions allow”.
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Who is affected by the Thames Water hosepipe ban?
If you receive a bill from Thames Water, the TUB will apply to you.
The company serves areas including all or parts of:
Gloucestershire
Wiltshire
Surrey
the Thames Valley
Greater London and surrounding areas
Essex
It has about 16 million customers all-in.
If you’re not sure whether you’re subject to the ban, you can find your water supplier here.
What can and can’t I do in a hosepipe ban?
You can’t run water from your mains through a hosepipe for something like filling a swimming pool, washing a car or watering your garden. But you can use watering cans and water butts for gardening and a bucket for cleaning your vehicle.
You can’t use anything that does the job of a hosepipe to do this, like sprinklers or pressure washers, either. You could face a fine of up to £1,000 if you do.
However, you can use grey water – unused water from e.g. your sink or bath – to water plants.
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Who is exempt from a hosepipe ban?
People who only use Thames Water’s wastewater services are exempt from the ban (though they may be subject to a TUB from another company, so check if this applies to you). If your usage is crucial to your business (for instance, crop farmers and car washers), if it’s needed for health reasons (like washing away dangerous agents or filling a dangerously low fish pond) or if it’s necessary for animal welfare, you may be off the hook.Additionally, Thames Water said there will be exemptions for “Priority Services customers who cannot reasonably adjust their water use because of a disability or medical condition”.
They added that more details on exemptions will be available when the ban comes into force on 23 July.
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