Outdoor water-use restriction
Encyclopedia
An outdoor water-use restriction is a ban
or other lesser restriction
s put into effect that restricts the outdoor use of water supplies
. Often called a watering ban or hosepipe ban, it can affect:
Such bans may be put in place by local government
s, or by a state government
. In the latter case, local authorities often still can enact more restrictive measures.
Such a ban is usually enacted during drought
s, to preserve water for essential uses such as drinking
and flushing toilets
, as well as for firefighting. If there is a water main break, or a problem with a water tower
or other reservoir, a ban may be enacted on a very local and temporary basis. Bans that control water and plant uses can be permanent. Greywater
recycling is becoming a necessity due to shortages in freshwater supply, an increase in populations with its associated food supply, and economic development.
The use of drip irrigation
systems may or may not be exempt from the restrictions, or be less restricted than normal water sprinklers
.
Businesses that use water as a critical part of their operations are usually not exempt. This includes car washs, plant nurseries, and other landscaping
companies. A typical restriction on a car wash would be to recycle the water.
Abuse of restrictions usually brings a warning at first, then a fine, and can lead to the cutoff of the water to the home or business
. Enforcement is generally by the local water authority or even from police
.
vegetation
, such as xeriscaping
in desert
locations, avoids having to water in the first place. Using greywater or stored runoff from a roof gutter
downspout is also an alternative for trees and shrub
s, but not for large expanses of grass
, which would be difficult to cover. Australian researchers have concluded that there is little evidence for spreading of disease through greywater used in landscaping and that greywater should be applied below the soil surface and not directly on top.
term for a water restriction placed on the customers of a water company
to prevent them from using hosepipes, particularly for watering their garden
s. The provider sometimes states that their customers are not allowed to use a sprinkler
or unattended hosepipe for a few days (or longer), though commonly a total ban is enacted. Bans are usually only seen in England
and South Wales
, but rarely in Scotland
due to the damper climate. Commercial customers are usually exempt in order to prevent loss of earnings or other such problems.
The water industry usually places such restrictions on their customers during drought
s or when the reservoirs supplying the water are becoming empty.
Contravening a temporary water restriction is a criminal offence in the United Kingdom
under the Water Industry Act 1991
(though the first prosecution for "wasteful use of water" was in 1921 and resulted in a fine of 20 shillings). Although offenders are usually warned, they are liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000 under the terms of the Act.
Ban (law)
A ban is, generally, any decree that prohibits something.Bans are formed for the prohibition of activities within a certain political territory. Some see this as a negative act and others see it as maintaining the "status quo"...
or other lesser restriction
Restriction
Restriction may refer to:* Restriction , an aspect of a mathematical function* Restrictions , an album by Cactus* Restriction enzyme, a type of enzyme that cleaves genetic material...
s put into effect that restricts the outdoor use of water supplies
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
. Often called a watering ban or hosepipe ban, it can affect:
- irrigationIrrigationIrrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
of lawnLawnA lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other durable plants, which usually are maintained at a low and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn...
s - car washing
- recreationRecreationRecreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al uses such as filling swimming poolSwimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s and using water slideWater slideA water slide is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size...
s - planting or grass or control of the types of grass planted
- hosingHose (tubing)A hose is a hollow tube designed to carry fluids from one location to another. Hoses are also sometimes called pipes , or more generally tubing...
down pavementPavement (material)Road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past cobblestones and granite setts were extensively used, but these surfaces have mostly been replaced by asphalt or concrete. Such...
areas
Such bans may be put in place by local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
s, or by a state government
State government
A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...
. In the latter case, local authorities often still can enact more restrictive measures.
Such a ban is usually enacted during drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s, to preserve water for essential uses such as drinking
Drinking
Drinking is the act of consuming water or a beverage through the mouth. Water is required for many of life’s physiological processes. Both excessive and inadequate water intake are associated with health problems.-Physiology:...
and flushing toilets
Flush toilet
A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location. Flushing mechanisms are found more often on western toilets , but many squat toilets also are made for automated flushing...
, as well as for firefighting. If there is a water main break, or a problem with a water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
or other reservoir, a ban may be enacted on a very local and temporary basis. Bans that control water and plant uses can be permanent. Greywater
Greywater
Greywater is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry, dishwashing, and bathing, which can be recycled on-site for uses such as landscape irrigation and constructed wetlands...
recycling is becoming a necessity due to shortages in freshwater supply, an increase in populations with its associated food supply, and economic development.
Restrictions
Typical restrictions include:- the "odd/evenOdd-even rationingOdd-even rationing is a method of rationing in which access to some resource is restricted to half the population on any given day. In a common example, cars are allowed to drive or to purchase gasoline on alternate days, according to whether the last digit in their license plate is even or odd...
" system, whereby odd-numbered addresses water on odd-numbered dates, and even-numbered ones on even-numbered dates - There are also day-based restrictions where water use is restricted to specific days of the week
- time restrictions based on the hour of the day. Usage may be prohibited from noon or late morning until late afternoon or evening. This is the time of day, when much of the spraySpraySpray can refer to:* Spray ** Aerosol spray** Blood spray** Road/tire spray, kicked up from a vehicle tire** Snow spray, a spray that creates artificial snow fall...
is lost to evaporationEvaporationEvaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
.
The use of drip irrigation
Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or microirrigation or localized irrigation , is an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone, through a network of valves,...
systems may or may not be exempt from the restrictions, or be less restricted than normal water sprinklers
Irrigation sprinkler
Irrigation sprinklers are sprinklers used on farms, golf courses, and yards, to provide water to vegetation and plants in the event of drought. They may also be used for recreation, as a cooling system, or to keep down the amount of airborne dust....
.
Businesses that use water as a critical part of their operations are usually not exempt. This includes car washs, plant nurseries, and other landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
companies. A typical restriction on a car wash would be to recycle the water.
Abuse of restrictions usually brings a warning at first, then a fine, and can lead to the cutoff of the water to the home or business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
. Enforcement is generally by the local water authority or even from police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
.
Non potable water usage
Using nativeIndigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
, such as xeriscaping
Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping and xerogardening refers to landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation...
in desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
locations, avoids having to water in the first place. Using greywater or stored runoff from a roof gutter
Gutter
panels of a comic strip or comic book page*Gutter , the space between panes of postage stamps that creates configurations of "gutter pairs" or "gutter blocks"*Gutter, in interface design, the blank spaces that separate rows and columns in screen...
downspout is also an alternative for trees and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, but not for large expanses of grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
, which would be difficult to cover. Australian researchers have concluded that there is little evidence for spreading of disease through greywater used in landscaping and that greywater should be applied below the soil surface and not directly on top.
Australia
Water restrictions are in place in many regions and cities of Australia in response to chronic shortages resulting from drought. Depending upon the location, these can include restrictions on watering lawns, using sprinkler systems, washing vehicles, hosing in paved areas and refilling swimming pools, among others. Water restrictions in Australia are enforced by fines and for repeat offenders by reducing water supply.United Kingdom
A hosepipe ban is a BritishBritish English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
term for a water restriction placed on the customers of a water company
Water industry
The water industry provides drinking water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the economy. The water industry includes manufacturers and suppliers of bottled water...
to prevent them from using hosepipes, particularly for watering their garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s. The provider sometimes states that their customers are not allowed to use a sprinkler
Irrigation sprinkler
Irrigation sprinklers are sprinklers used on farms, golf courses, and yards, to provide water to vegetation and plants in the event of drought. They may also be used for recreation, as a cooling system, or to keep down the amount of airborne dust....
or unattended hosepipe for a few days (or longer), though commonly a total ban is enacted. Bans are usually only seen in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and South Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, but rarely in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
due to the damper climate. Commercial customers are usually exempt in order to prevent loss of earnings or other such problems.
The water industry usually places such restrictions on their customers during drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
s or when the reservoirs supplying the water are becoming empty.
Contravening a temporary water restriction is a criminal offence in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
under the Water Industry Act 1991
Water Industry Act 1991
The Water Industry Act 1991 is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament consolidating previous enactments relating to the water supply and the provision of wastewater services in England and Wales. It further implemented recommendations of the Law Commission.-Sections:Part 1 deals with the...
(though the first prosecution for "wasteful use of water" was in 1921 and resulted in a fine of 20 shillings). Although offenders are usually warned, they are liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000 under the terms of the Act.
External links
- Down the drain, looking at the leaks in the system owned by Thames Water. The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, 10 July 2005 - Water firms missing leak targets. BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 14 July 2005. - Water Industry Act 1991
- Guide to water industry with water saving tips, restriction information and news.
- Hosepipe ban website with resources and discussion about hosepipe bans in the UK