Hosepipe Ban

"A hosepipe ban will take effect for Anglian Water domestic customers from 5th April. This is in direct response to the drought situation. We are taking action today to safeguard water supplies for 2013 and beyond."

Anglian Water have issued this ban, but currently Cambridge Water have not, please click the link at the bottom of the page to check if your area is affected.

The Cans & Can'ts of the Hosepipe Ban

You Can't...

• Water your garden using a hosepipe.


• Clean a private motor vehicle or private leisure boat using a hose pipe.


• Water plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe.


• Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming, paddling pool or pond, except by using a hand held container filled directly from a tap or where aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity.


• Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic, recreational use.


• Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain, except where an ornamental fountain is in a fish pond.


• Cleaning any surface in a domestic premises with a hosepipe.

You Can...

• Use a drip or trickle irrigation watering system, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and timer, that are not handheld and which place water by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath it, without any surface run off or dispersion of water through air using a jet or mist.


• Use a hose pipe in the course of a buisness to clean a private motor vehicle, or for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios or an artificial outdoor surface, where this is done as a service to customers.


• Use a hosepipe to water a garden attached to a domestic dwelling or to water plants on domestic premises by people with Blue Badge issued by their local authority.


• Use a hosepipe to water an area of grass or artificial outdoor surface used for playing sport or recreation, where this is required in connection with a national or international sports event only.


• Use a hosepipe in a garden for cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, a private leisure boat or an artificial outdoor surface, where such use is necessary for health and saftey reasons.

So What Can You Do?

"A "Garden" includes all of the following: a park. gardens open to the public, a lawn, a grass verge, an area of grass used for sport or recreation, an allotment garden, an area of an allotment used for non-commercial purposes or any other grass space."

Luckily Scotsdales has some ways to help alleviate the stress on your garden caused by these drought conditions and the Hosepipe ban. Click the link at the bottom of the page to download our "how to use water wisely" leaflet.

"A good tip to make the most of your watering is to cover your beds and borders with a layer of bark chippings. This retains moisture and suppresses weeds at the same time. Apply it when the soil is moist and weed free, and make sure to use enough. A depth of 5cm over the soil surface is needed for it to be effective."