Hosepipe ban to come in from Friday

Monday 22 August 2022

A temporary hosepipe ban will come into force from Friday, with penalties of up to £2,000 for those who knowingly ignore it.

Jersey Water announced today that the ban - which is expected to last up to four months - will apply to all its domestic customers.

Commercial customers will be excluded from the restrictions, however the company is asking that businesses use water sparingly.

The ban only affects households connected to main water and not those on boreholes. 

It will still be possible to water a garden or wash a car using 'grey water' from a rainwater tank or recycled water system.

Jersey Water Chief Executive Helier Smith said “During the recent dry and hot weather the demand for water has been higher than normal, on the hottest days peaking at up to 24m litres. 

“Our desalination plant has been operational since 1 August producing approximately 10.8m litres per day to meet half that demand. 

“Although there have been some patchy showers over the last week, rainfall this year has been exceptionally low since January. 

“The hot dry weather has meant that reservoir levels which currently stand at 68% full are some 10.5% lower than normal for this time of year. Reducing our water consumption through the introduction of these temporary restrictions will help reservoirs recover more quickly.

“Customers have been great at saving water where they can so far but it’s important we continue to all do our bit to help protect our water resources over the coming months. 

“The purpose of the restrictions are to reduce demand for water from discretionary activities - for example, garden watering or car washing - and to preserve stocks for the autumn and winter in the event that the drier weather continues for an extended period delaying the natural recharge of ground water, streams and reservoirs.”

The maximum penalty for using a hose when a ban is in place is £2,000 - however, Jersey Water says that it will be largely relying on the goodwill of islanders, and will opt to give information and advice to people breaking the ban rather than prosecute.

However, the company says it will seek to fine anyone "knowingly ignoring" the ban.

How will it work?

Prohibited uses:

• Watering a garden using a hosepipe;
• Cleaning a private motor-vehicle (and trailers) 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 using a hosepipe ;
• Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use;
• Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe;
• Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain using a hosepipe ;
• 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.

"Customers can still undertake the above activities if they use mains water from a bucket or watering can or use water that is not sourced from the mains such as grey water, rainwater from a water butt through a hosepipe, or private boreholes for example," the official notice states.

Exceptions:

Jersey Water has made an exception for some uses. Those who meet the below requirements below can continue to use water without having to make representations to Jersey Water to receive permission, the company said:

1. "Health and Safety: Using a hosepipe to (a) water a garden, (b) to clean a private leisure boat, (c) clean the walls and windows of domestic premises, (d) to clean paths and patios or (e) to clean artificial outdoor surfaces, for health or safety reasons, where health or safety reasons includes removing or minimising any risk to human or animal health or safety and preventing or controlling the spread of causative agents of disease. Please note that for areas of grass used for sports or recreation, this exception only applies to the active playing strip and not the entire ground;
2. Using a hosepipe to water plants that are (a) grown or kept for sale or commercial use, or (b) that are part of a National Plant Collection or temporary garden or flower display;
3. Using a hosepipe to clean any area of a private leisure boat which, except for doors or windows, is enclosed by a roof and walls;
4. Filling or maintaining a pool where necessary in the course of its construction;
5. Filling or maintaining a pool using a hand-held container which is filled with water drawn directly from a tap;
6. Filling or maintaining a pool that is designed, constructed or adapted for use in the course of a programme of medical treatment;
7. Filling or maintaining a pool that is used for the purpose of decontaminating animals from infections or disease;
8. Filling or maintaining a pool used in the course of a programme of veterinary treatment;
9. Filling or maintaining a pool in which fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity;
10. Using a hosepipe to fill or maintain a domestic pond in which fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity;
11. Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain which is in or near a fish-pond and whose purpose is to supply sufficient oxygen to the water in the pond in order to keep the fish healthy;
12. People with severe mobility problems who hold a current Blue Badge as issued by the Jersey authority will not be prohibited from using a hosepipe to: (a) water a garden attached to a domestic dwelling, (b) clean a private motor vehicle, (c) water plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises, (d) water allotments where the Blue Badge holder is the tenant, (e) fill or maintain a domestic pond, (f) clean walls or windows of domestic premises, (g) clean paths or patios; or (h) clean other artificial surfaces;
13. Using a hosepipe to clean: (a) a private motor vehicle, (b) a private leisure boat, (c) walls and windows of domestic premises, (d) paths or patios; or (e) other outdoor artificial surfaces, where this is done as a service to customers in the course of a business;
14. Watering a garden and watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using an approved drip or trickle irrigation watering system, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, that are not handheld, that place water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist;
15. Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe if the vessel is a primary residence, in cases where fouling is causing increased fuel consumption or where engines are designed to be cleaned with a hosepipe;
16. Using a hosepipe to water a garden or to water plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises where such watering is restricted to newly laid turf, newly sown lawns, newly planted trees, shrubs and plants where the laying, sowing or planting has been carried out as a service to customers in the course of a business. This exemption only applies for a period of 28 days from the day of planting, sowing or turf laying;
17. Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe to prevent or control the spread of non-native and/or invasive species;
18. Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain to operate water features with religious significance."

Click HERE for more information on the ban.