Drought Orders.

[oldfrank]

Unless the legislation has been changed recently, there are two stages to drought orders. The first is a simple hosepipe ban. This makes it illegal to water your garden but doesn't have a direct effect on industrial equipment - for example car washes and pressure washes for marine use. It is usual that the water usage per car is reduced to help keep the peace. A number of local civil servants have been shown to be unaware of this in the past.

A drought order is the big thing - this can close industrial equipment - unless your car or boat wash area has a recycling plant. Suggest the caption on the CB home page is misleading. OF

 

[grumpydog]

Suggest it's not misleading! Hansard is unclear, but I tracked down a BBC story which says the same... Check this website http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7055672.stm

Steffan Meyric Hughes, news editor

 

[oldfrank]

Thanks - been there and read it all. Still doesn't cover industrial/commercial use. Stopping watering your garden saves water. Closing commercial uses costs jobs. Different politics. OF

 

[Peterduck]

South-eastern Australia is in the eleventh consecutive year of drought, and it's something that we have learned to live with. There are four levels of restrictions, and these are applied variously depending upon the stored water available for the district. Melbourne's water storages are at 40% of capacity with another long, hot summer approaching, and we are on Stage 3b restrictions. Boatyard pressure-washers are permitted, but garden watering is by bucket for two hours per day, two days per week. Football & cricket grounds are exempt. Private car washing is by bucket, but commercial car washes are OK. Toilet cisterns have for a long time been fitted with two buttons, one for full flush, the other for half flush. I have installed a groundwater bore and pump in my garden, and am currently laying out a drip-feed fixed watering system to drought-proof my partner's collection of 80 roses.
Peter.