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 Post subject: Mid Kent Drought Order
PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 00:31 
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Or to give it it's full title, the Mid Kent Water (Non-Essential Use) Drought Order 2006. Here it is: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/uksi_20061424_en.pdf

And here's the main bit:
Quote:
2. The Company may prohibit or limit the use of water for any of the following purposes—
(a) the watering, by hosepipe, sprinkler or other similar apparatus, of—
- (i) gardens (other than market gardens), including lawns, verges and other landscaped areas,
- (ii) allotments,
- (iii) parks, or
- (iv) any natural or artificial surfaces used for sport or recreation, whether publicly or privately owned;
(b) the filling (whether wholly or partially) of privately owned swimming pools, other than—
- (i) pools designed to be used in the course of a programme of medical treatment;
- (ii) the filling of pools where necessary in the course of their construction;
(c) the filling (whether wholly or partially) of ornamental ponds other than fish ponds and wildlife garden ponds;
(d) the operation of mechanical vehicle washers, whether automatic or not;
(e) the washing of road vehicles, boats, railway rolling stock or aircraft for any reason other than safety or hygiene;
(f) the cleaning of the exterior of buildings, other than windows;
(g) the cleaning of windows by hosepipe, sprinkler or other similar apparatus;
(h) the cleaning of industrial premises or plant for any reason other than safety or hygiene;
(i) the operation of ornamental fountains or cascades, including those where water is
recycled; and
(j) the operation, in relation to any building or other premises, of any cistern which flushes
automatically, during any period when those premises are wholly or substantially
unoccupied.

I don't know how well this has been publicised over there but it explicitly allows the cleaning of road vehicles for safety or hygene purposes. Although you can't clean windows with a hose pipe. (So I guess you're allowed to use a hose pipe to clean the lights then?! :roll:)

I thought I'd post this on here for people to discuss. :)

I wonder if it could be argued that you aren't allowed to clean your numberplates?

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 07:43 
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The numbers of flies on my windscreen on Saturday evenings drive into County Durham and back were a safety hazard, inspite of my freshly filled screenwash bottle!
The front end of my car is a curious mottled colour, and the plate is starting to look a bit blurred! I washed it three times over the weekend, and the screen four times! Luckily we have plenty of water - so much that we give it away to Manchester!! :x

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 07:46 
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The above list of restrictions is what the water company has the power to impose, the restrictions they actually do impose are normally somewhat 'watered' (haha) down.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 09:09 
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So the window cleaners will be put out of business then.

I say this because the HSA regs on ladder use have virtually killed off the old ladder and bucket type window cleaners, and our window cleaner like many others have had to invest £30K+ in a purified water hose system where pre-purified water is pumped through a brush (on a long pole) while the water is held in a large tank on the new van that they had to buy to transport it. So imagine having invested in a business loan to purchase this equipment, with the repayments to meet, and then being banned from working...


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 09:55 
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Window cleaning by use of a bowser system should be OK as the system appears not to be

Quote:
(g) the cleaning of windows by hosepipe, sprinkler or other similar apparatus;


Debateable though.

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:16 
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I had a chat with our window cleaner about it, as he used to work at the same company as my wife, and only set himself up when made redundant; we know him quite well, and he is quite proud of the system, and has lots of work due to the H&S regs preventing ladder use by a person working alone.

It may be a Bowser system, but the water in his tank is tap water that he runs through a purification process each night - effectively it is still tap water.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:43 
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Rewolf wrote:
It may be a Bowser system, but the water in his tank is tap water that he runs through a purification process each night - effectively it is still tap water.


But the water could have been taken from a tap anywhere in the country (in theory). For instance, if he had filled the tank from a tap outside the area covered by the drought order would he still be able to use it?

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 14:21 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
For instance, if he had filled the tank from a tap outside the area covered by the drought order would he still be able to use it?

It doesn't seem to care where the water comes from, only that it is used in the area.
Quote:
(i) the operation of ornamental fountains or cascades, including those where water is recycled;

That implies that even a fountain which throws water up and catches it again can't be used!
And there are no excemptions for your own water butt, for example.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 14:43 
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Ziltro wrote:
Sixy_the_red wrote:
For instance, if he had filled the tank from a tap outside the area covered by the drought order would he still be able to use it?

It doesn't seem to care where the water comes from, only that it is used in the area.


No, it only applies to water supplied by the company. We have our own well, so we could pump water into a hosepipe all day if we wanted, so long as we stayed below the 20 cu. m per day limit.

On the hose issue, I'm not sure of the specific wording, but it has been said that they are only interesteed in hoses directly connected to the supply.

edit:
Quote:
(4) This Order applies in relation to water supplied by the Company in any part of its area of
supply.


Gareth


Last edited by g_attrill on Mon Jun 12, 2006 21:37, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 14:49 
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Ziltro wrote:
That implies that even a fountain which throws water up and catches it again can't be used!
And there are no excemptions for your own water butt, for example.


Some of the restrictions appear to be common sense during a drought however this appears to be a little silly.

I sure it must only to apply if you have used their water to fill the fountain.

It would be easy to get around this restriction however, one could just throw in a goldfish into one's water feature.....and all of a sudden its now a 'pond' that sustains life...excempt.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 15:38 
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T2006 wrote:
It would be easy to get around this restriction however, one could just throw in a goldfish into one's water feature.....and all of a sudden its now a 'pond' that sustains life...exempt.

Or just say it has a goldfish in it, then if they come and inspect and find no signs of life you say the poor water quality killed it and get the local paper to run an exposé article about the fish-murderers at Mid-Kent Water etc etc.. :lol:

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