What to do during hosepipe ban?

standardg60

Malayalam wrote: »

Yrs, I had to pay an initial large sum, and I get a yearly bill. There is a free allowance per family and fee for everything used over. Every single time I have used the hose during this heatwave I have been aware of the meter ticking so it's not like I am delighted it's so dry. Bare minimum, flush only poops, basin in sink for house plants, no running water for teeth washing, etc etc but I am not gonna let my vegetable garden die.

Good stuff! Every day is a school day:)

standardg60

magicbastarder wrote: »

friends of ours applied for PP to finish an unfinished dormer bungalow they bought (original PP had lapsed). they put a bathroom upstairs and had to pay a (vaguely remembered) figure of €2000 to the council because of the associated increased demand on water supply.

i was bemused by the notion that by doubling the number of toilets in the house, the assumption was that they'd be flushing the loo twice as much

This was a point which was never raised during the water charges debate and it did my head in. It was one reason (amongst others) why I refused to pay the water charge. I was fully prepared to argue in court that i'd already made a substantial contribution to the water supply maintenance.

I'd like to know where those contributions are going now? Are the development levies specified for water going to IW or being soaked up by councils with nothing better to do than plant up roundabouts.

bobbyss

Does anybody know how exact the meters that were fitted are? Do they tell you on a Monday you used X litres? Or on a Monday from 12-2 you used X much water? How precise is it?

standardg60

No, pretty much like gas or electricity they'd only measure from the last time they were read.
Work away with that wet t-shirt party on Monday from 12-2. Where is it?

standardg60

Or are you just filling your Lidl pool.

Zzippy

scarepanda wrote: »

Zzippy, do you mind me asking what kind of system and set up you have? I'd love to set something up, and had planned on doing it this spring when I was filling the veg beds, but impatience got the better of me and I just wanted to get to a stage of being able to sow stuff. My husband is into gadgets and IOT stuff so he's going to set up some meters for me before next spring.

I planned it out first how I wanted to have it, then ordered the various parts needed from quickcrop.ie - supply hose, drip hose, T-connectors, corner connectors and end plugs. It's very easy to put together once you have all the parts. I bought a timer from Woodies that turns the water on for a set time at sunrise, giving the water plenty of time to soak in before the sun is high enough to evaporate it. I'm sure there are more expensive options that could be hooked up to the IoT, but that might be overkill. Having said that I love controlling my mower from the smartphone!

BarryD2

standardg60 wrote: »

As part of my planning permission I had to pay a contribution, which was circa 1000 euro, to my local council for the maintenance of the water supply. Anyone who buys a new house supplied by mains water also has this fee built in to the purchase price as it's levied on the developer at the planning stage.

€1000 - that's very cheap for a pretty much guaranteed supply of potable water.

No public water here and I'd conservatively guess that we've spent about €12,000 on wells and water treatment, plus the electricity to run them. Then more for sewage disposal.

Which is why I laugh at peoples objections to an annual couple of hundred € to assist with improving public water supplies. I'd have signed up in a blink for that deal.

Re garden though, watering cans for vegies and use hose when the water filters are back washing. Could use more off the well, but the consequences for overdoing it, is no water in the house.......

bobbyss

standardg60 wrote:

No, pretty much like gas or electricity they'd only measure from the last time they were read. Work away with that wet t-shirt party on Monday from 12-2. Where is it?

No such thing I'm afraid. We had a leak and IW contacted us they told us how much over the limit our household was.
We got it fixed so was just wondering how precise their measuring was. I may contact them again to find out how much our consumption has gone down.

magicbastarder

BarryD2 wrote: »

Which is why I laugh at peoples objections to an annual couple of hundred € to assist with improving public water supplies. I'd have signed up in a blink for that deal.

ah here, you obviously moved somewhere that you've to recreate a water supply system. while i think people should pay for water, it's a straw man argument to compare costs of setting up your own individual supply and disposal system to a centralised public system.

scarepanda

Zzippy wrote: »

I planned it out first how I wanted to have it, then ordered the various parts needed from quickcrop.ie - supply hose, drip hose, T-connectors, corner connectors and end plugs. It's very easy to put together once you have all the parts. I bought a timer from Woodies that turns the water on for a set time at sunrise, giving the water plenty of time to soak in before the sun is high enough to evaporate it. I'm sure there are more expensive options that could be hooked up to the IoT, but that might be overkill. Having said that I love controlling my mower from the smartphone!

Thanks zzippy! IoT may be a bit overkill, but himself loves foostering at stuff like that!

standardg60

magicbastarder wrote: »

ah here, you obviously moved somewhere that you've to recreate a water supply system. while i think people should pay for water, it's a straw man argument to compare costs of setting up your own individual supply and disposal system to a centralised public system.

Exactly, I was lucky as mine was calculated in 2002, over the next 3-4 years it very quickly became five times that amount. With the amount of houses built in that time the money taken in must have been in the billions, none of which seems to have been spent on the infrastructure.

realitykeeper

I think the hosepipe ban is only justified for use on lawns, washing cars, roses and ornamental plants. People with vegetables should be allowed to water them as veg is a necessity and most vegetables have to be imported. Where cannabis plants are concerned, I think people caught watering them should face a far more severe fine or confiscation of their property.

magicbastarder

people growing veg are still legally allowed use watering cans though.

garv123

local council had hoses & sprinklers set up this morning watering new flowerbeds on a roundabout.
hose running across the road, probably into a mains connection, it was only 7.55am tho :pac:

hkjohn

Here's a real-life moral dilemma for you...

Aetna, the 75-year old lady who lives across the road from us, has spent years growing and tending a stunningly beautiful garden.

Next Thursday, she goes into hospital for some serious heart surgery. What might happen to her if she comes home to recover only to find her garden dried and ruined doesn't bear thinking about.

Aetna was wonderful to us when we moved to Ireland five years ago and despite having a sizeable garden of her own to look after, my missus is determined to pay her friend back. To this end, she's volunteered that she and I will water and care for Aetna's many plants so she has a nice environment to come back to after her op.

I've told my missus we should use a hose when we help Aetna out. In doing so
we'll effectively be giving two fingers to IW and their Stasi-like dob in your neighbour hateline, but wtf.

What would you guys do?

theyoungchap

hkjohn wrote: »

Here's a real-life moral dilemma for you...

Aetna, the 75-year old lady who lives across the road from us, has spent years growing and tending a stunningly beautiful garden.

Next Thursday, she goes into hospital for some serious heart surgery. What might happen to her if she comes home to recover only to find her garden dried and ruined doesn't bear thinking about.

Aetna was wonderful to us when we moved to Ireland five years ago and despite having a sizeable garden of her own to look after, my missus is determined to pay her friend back. To this end, she's volunteered that she and I will water and care for Aetna's many plants so she has a nice environment to come back to after her op.

I've told my missus we should use a hose when we help Aetna out. In doing so
we'll effectively be giving two fingers to IW and their Stasi-like dob in your neighbour hateline, but wtf.

What would you guys do?

Maybe you should be a decent citizen and conserve water? Her garden will be grand it'll rain at some stage in the next month or two. Nature has a way of rebounding.

Your last paragraph says more about you than anything else you said!

Hitman3000

hkjohn wrote:

What would you guys do?

Obey the rules and regulations of the country you moved to perhaps. Usually a good idea.

my3cents

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Obey the rules and regulations of the country you moved to perhaps. Usually a good idea.

Or you could do like the Irish do and ignore them.

Hitman3000

my3cents wrote:

Or you could do like the Irish do and ignore them.

Like everyone you only get to speak for yourself. I 'm Irish and I obey the rules of the society I live in.

my3cents

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Like everyone you only get to speak for yourself. I 'm Irish and I obey the rules of the society I live in.

Why not put up some pictures of your garden so we can see what you have to loose by not using a hose pipe?

Hitman3000

my3cents wrote:

Why not put up some pictures of your garden so we can see what you have to loose by not using a hose pipe?

So I need to justify to you why I feel it's right to obey the law. Are you a child?

my3cents

Hitman3000 wrote: »

So I need to justify to you why I feel it's right to obey the law. Are you a child?

Well it would be good to see if you were just a keyboard warrior or someone who actually had something to loose, do you even own a hose pipe?

Hitman3000

my3cents wrote:

Well it would be good to see if you were just a keyboard warrior or someone who actually had something to loose, do you even own a hose pipe?

I do own a hose and it is tucked away neatly in my shed. I use the water butts around my home to water the most vulnerable plants when that runs out the plants are on their won I'm afraid.
As for keyboard warrior that tag is more appropriate to you. The law and bans are there for a reason. Not for kicks and giggles or to heed if you wish. Now you take care I never argue with a fool as onlookers rarely can tell the difference.

hkjohn

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Obey the rules and regulations of the country you moved to perhaps. Usually a good idea.

I happen to be Irish you patronising twat.

Lumen

I love it when the Gardening forum goes postal.

Watering cans at 50 paces!

Hitman3000

hkjohn wrote:

Aetna was wonderful to us when we moved to Ireland five years ago

You forgot you wrote this?

hkjohn

theyoungchap wrote: »

Maybe you should be a decent citizen and conserve water? Her garden will be grand it'll rain at some stage in the next month or two. Nature has a way of rebounding.

Your last paragraph says more about you than anything else you said!

Maybe, but then your belief that being a "good citizen" is more important than being a good neighbour and helping out an old lady in need tells everyone all they need to know about you

hkjohn

Hitman3000 wrote: »

You forgot you wrote this?

It is possible to be Irish and to not have lived here full time until recently
you know.

Hitman3000

hkjohn wrote:

It is possible to be Irish and to not have lived here full time until recently you know.

That's the thing I didn't know because you didn't say, but again my comment about obeying the law still stands.
Btw your insult was reported.

Hitman3000

Lumen wrote:

Watering cans at 50 paces!

Full or empty?

Lumen

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Full or empty?

Depends on whether you're going for waterboarding (large can required) or bludgeoning (metal can required)

Bringing this back on topic, I use the "infinite watering can" technique of sticking a running hose in the can and then pouring it out. It enables much finer flow control than any of the hose attachments I have.

This is now illegal of course, I so I definitely don't do it. Definitely.

hkjohn

Hitman3000 wrote: »

That's the thing I didn't know because you didn't say, but again my comment about obeying the law still stands.
Btw your insult was reported.

Hope you remembered to mention that my response was coloured by your rather patronising original post, but I doubt it.

Doubtless i'll now join hosepipes on the banned list.

Hitman3000

hkjohn wrote:

Hope you remembered to mention that my response was coloured by your rather patronising original post, but I doubt it.

I have nothing further to say to you. The Mod can deal with you.

BarryD2

hkjohn wrote: »

What would you guys do?

Water the younger/ most vulnerable plants with a watering can twice a week and let the others look after themselves.

theyoungchap

hkjohn wrote: »

Maybe, but then your belief that being a "good citizen" is more important than being a good neighbour and helping out an old lady in need tells everyone all they need to know about you

Bloody hell its her garden, she is not dying of thirst. Her garden will recover.....as will they all. It hardly needs to be watered just because she is going in for surgery or whatever.

vicwatson

Has this gone countrywide or is it from tonight?

my3cents

vicwatson wrote: »

Has this gone countrywide or is it from tonight?

8am this morning.

Hitman3000

vicwatson wrote:

Has this gone countrywide or is it from tonight?

Countrywide since this morning.

my3cents

theyoungchap wrote: »

Bloody hell its her garden, she is not dying of thirst. Her garden will recover.....as will they all. It hardly needs to be watered just because she is going in for surgery or whatever.

I'd disagree with you there because we get so much rain normally its very possible here in Ireland to grow a decent garden on far to little top soil.

So what happens when we don't get any rain is that plants just die.

You can go for years and everything grows well until we hit a year like this.

Locally some of a 3-4 years old council planting scheme is already dead because there just isn't enough soil. The same plants grown in a good depth of soil with no watering would still be fine. The fact that the planting scheme did great and looked really well for the first 3 summers just goes to prove the point.

hkjohn

hkjohn wrote: »

What would you guys do?

You’re obviously a good neighbor. I’m sure that you’ll do the right thing and use watering cans. Remember, not all plants need daily watering. If you can commit to doing it every second evening, that’d suffice.

Hope she has a speedy recovery.

RockDesk

hkjohn wrote: »

What would you guys do?

Any water I've been using in the kitchen sink is going into a basin. If it's not too sudsy, I'm emptying that water into my watering can and using it on my plants.

theyoungchap

RockDesk wrote: »

Any water I've been using in the kitchen sink is going into a basin. If it's not too sudsy, I'm emptying that water into my watering can and using it on my plants.

Same as that. Unless it has been washing something foul.

But plenty of plants don't need to be watered every evening. We water with a watering can every 2nd evening.

my3cents, it is hardly the Atacama Desert we are in. There will be rain in the next few weeks, if something dies so be it. It will re-grow next year. Hardly an armageddon.

my3cents

theyoungchap wrote: »

Same as that. Unless it has been washing something foul.

But plenty of plants don't need to be watered every evening. We water with a watering can every 2nd evening.

my3cents, it is hardly the Atacama Desert we are in. There will be rain in the next few weeks, if something dies so be it. It will re-grow next year. Hardly an armageddon.

How can something die and then re-grow next year?

theyoungchap

my3cents wrote: »

How can something die and then re-grow next year?

Because they don't really die.....for example my hydrangeas died last year, they are flying this year. It is called nature!

my3cents

theyoungchap wrote: »

Because they don't really die.....for example my hydrangeas died last year, they are flying this year. It is called nature!

In that case they didn't die.

Some plants will die in this drought and won't come back next year.

GreeBo

salmocab wrote: »

Hose pipe ban isn’t literal it means you can’t use water for non essential uses, you’d still be breaking the law.

It is literal actually!
It means you cannot use a hosepipe, nothing more, nothing less.
You can wash your car or water your garden with a bucket all you want.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/ireland-s-hosepipe-ban-everything-you-need-to-know-1.3550866


If what you were saying was true, how do you propose they enforce it?
Check on how long people are showering for? How many times you flush the jacks?

They *request* that people do not use water for non essential uses, buts thats all it is. A request.

theyoungchap

my3cents wrote: »

In that case they didn't die.

Some plants will die in this drought and won't come back next year.

Yes but plenty of plants die and don't come back regardless. They are called annuals and those that come back are called perennials.

What is more important - that some neighbours garden is watered or that people have enough water in a time of drought?

iamtony

theyoungchap wrote: »

Yes but plenty of plants die and don't come back regardless. They are called annuals and those that come back are called perennials.

What is more important - that some neighbours garden is watered or that people have enough water in a time of drought?

Perennials can die from lack of water and won't come back becasue they are dead! Same goes for trees and bushes etc.

iamtony

Only plus I've noticed in my garden is there hasn't been a bit of growth on the privet and it's cut to perfection.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

salmocab wrote: »

Hose pipe ban isn’t literal it means you can’t use water for non essential uses, you’d still be breaking the law.

Totally untrue. They have specifically said you can use buckets of water to your hearts content. It is literally a hose pipe ban.

It's a farce, as washing the car with a power washer uses a third of the water washing with buckets uses.