Isle of Wight hosepipe ban: 5 ways to save water

This ban will apply to Southern Water supply areas and is set to come into force on Friday, August 5, with no planned end date having been announced at the time of writing.

During the ban, the use of a hosepipe, including using sprinklers, dripper hoses, automatic irrigation systems and similar devices, is prohibited for the following:

• Watering a garden using a hosepipe
• Cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe
• Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe
• Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe
• Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
• Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use
• Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe
• Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain
• Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe
• Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
• Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe

Nowhere in England is currently considered to be 'in drought', most of the country has instead moved into ‘prolonged dry weather’ status.

Nowhere in England is officially listed as being in a drought (Canva)

The Environment Agency has said it is now taking "precautionary actions to mitigate impacts as hydrological conditions deteriorate and enhancing its monitoring and protection of water resources, along with the water companies".

With the hosepipe ban coming into effect soon, here are a few ways you can save water.

5 ways to save water during a hosepipe ban

Collect as much rain water as possible

If you have a garden that needs maintaining then using a hosepipe to water the plants will be prohibited in the hosepipe ban guidelines.

Investing in a water butt or disused water storage tank might be useful for this if you do not have one already, as any water not used from the mains is fine for the activities that were listed above.

Homemade bottle feeders

The website Carrot Tops Allotment recommends this method as an alternative to watering pot plants.

This involves using an empty wine bottle that has a screw top and making a small hole in the lid.

Then fill the bottle up with water, but the lid on and place it upside down in a plant pot to effectively create a drip feeder.

Establishing a watering routine

A hosepipe ban will require you to use a watering can which will obviously take a bit longer than using a hosepipe.

With the current circumstances it is best to build up or establish a routine that involves watering little and often, so that the plants still get their usual amount of water.

Save washing up water for watering garden

When you wash up you may run the tap for a little bit to make sure it gets hot first before you put it into the washing up bowl.

To help yourself out you could collect this water instead of letting it simply go down the drain and that could be used for your garden.

Resisting the temptation to wash your car

Although there is not an end date specified for the hosepipe ban, it would be best to just resist washing your car, or your driveway for the time being and wait until it all blows over.

This might mean a slightly grimy car or driveway for a short period of time, but there is no easy way to get around it without the use of a hosepipe.

To see more about the ban, visit the Southern Water website here.