A Debate About Using a Hose Pipe

[Gillysdad]

Last year the bill meant each plot holder paid about £15 water rate. The point about some using more water than others is a constant topic for debate. There will always be some who think they are 'Fireman Sam', but we can't find a way that each plot could pay for what they use, without added cost.

[Unwashed]

How big are your plots Gillysdad?

[Gillysdad]

Mine is about 10 metres wide and probably 50 metres long. They are long established allotments, and they do vary in size. Having had the allotment for 35 years I should know exactly. Mind, as you age it seems to get bigger....

[Unwashed]

I reckon £2.50 per pole plus 75p per pole for water is a pretty sweet deal.

[lilyjean]

To Unwashed.....

Thank you for an amazing piece of information, very very helpful  I  searched and searched for allotments legislation on whether hoses are banned. You've done it all for me! it was precisely what I wanted to learn....TY! I will take that piece of information to our next meeting 

[shirlton]

We have over a hundred plots on our site. One tap between two plots. Hosepipes to water the plot are allowed. The water bill at the end of the season is divided , and added to the allotment rent. We currently pay £50 per year. I think we are one of the luckier sites.

How nice to have a tap between two plots. We have 5 for the whole site. That works out at one between 9 plots. Lucky if you are near one which we aren't

[artichoke]

I was interested in unwashed's reply too. We have all received letters saying our agreements will be terminated if we make "unauthorised attachments" to our taps.

I am downhill from our dip tank, so I set up a syphon. I am hoping this doesn't get banned too.

From what you say, our allotment owners (council owned and run) has no right to ban "attachments" or to turn us off our plots for that reason?

[lincsyokel2]

I have now got hold of a 50L/min foul water pump with a hose attachment. I now fill the butt with the hose pipe whilst simultaneous using the foul water pump (powered by my 800W portable generator) to water the plot with another hosepipe.  All perfectly within the rules.

[GRACELAND]

What areas Have a Ban at the Moment

[Squash64]

I have now got hold of a 50L/min foul water pump with a hose attachment. I now fill the butt with the hose pipe whilst simultaneous using the foul water pump (powered by my 800W portable generator) to water the plot with another hosepipe.  All perfectly within the rules.

This would not be allowed in Birmingham.

We are trying to use less water, not find ways around the ban.

The Allotments dept. has £40,000 (I think) from its budget to spend on water each year.  So far, it is overspent by £12,000.

We should be finding ways to water less, like mulching heavily and fitting guttering and drainpipes to sheds and greenhouses.

[Trevor_D]

Just caught up with this one.

We're a private site and have a metered water supply which we have to pay ourselves.

There are water tanks on or near most plots, and if necessary we run in extra tanks. Each one works with a ballcock. No stand pipes are allowed on the site. And no hoses, however used. The water is on a timer, so it's off at night. And we turn it off completely in the winter.

[GRACELAND]

Just caught up with this one.

We're a private site and have a metered water supply which we have to pay ourselves.

There are water tanks on or near most plots, and if necessary we run in extra tanks. Each one works with a ballcock. No stand pipes are allowed on the site. And no hoses, however used. The water is on a timer, so it's off at night. And we turn it off completely in the winter.

Thats a good way

[djbrenton]

Last time we did a flow check, using a hose cost 78p an hour. I'd say a landlord has a reasonable interest if he pays the water bill. On numerous ocasions I'd find people leaving hoses running overnight on their potatoes. Having paid £30 for a years water, they could be using a third of that over one night.

[Chrispy]

We have 1 tap between 8 plots I think (I have a tap next to my plot so I am happy).

We pay £1.30/rod/year to pay for the water.
We are free to use hoses, some basic rules....
No Sprinklers.
No unattended hoses.
Sheds must have gutters and butts.

The pressure is not too good, so if I am using a hose the pressure drops a lot if somebody turns a tap on to fill a can, and on other plots the flow and stop completely if somebody else down the hill is doing a filling.

I try to be economical with the water, my beans/squash all have a pot or old milk container plunged into the ground so the water goes down to the roots and it is also a lot quicker that way.

If I think something needs a good water I will use a watering can, it's a lot quicker than using a hose.

[Unwashed]

I was interested in unwashed's reply too. We have all received letters saying our agreements will be terminated if we make "unauthorised attachments" to our taps.

I am downhill from our dip tank, so I set up a syphon. I am hoping this doesn't get banned too.

From what you say, our allotment owners (council owned and run) has no right to ban "attachments" or to turn us off our plots for that reason?

What do your rules say?  If there isn't a rule to say "no hoses", or indeed a rule that says what is an authorised attachment then no, the council can't just decide to ban what it wants, and nor can it just decide to change the rules.  If there are taps on your site then without a very clear rule to the contrary it's an implied condition of your tenancy that you're entitled to a reasonable use of the water by hose or otherwise because that's what a reasonable person would infer.

If the hosepipe ban was in your rules when you got your plot it's more difficult to argue that the ban is unreasonable, though by no means impossible.

Just to be clear: none of this has anything to do with hosepipe bans imposed by the water undertaking.

[Robert_Brenchley]

why would anyone want to use a hose to water directly on to the plot? its strictly banned at our site

I don't but plenty of people do!

[Digeroo]

Last time we did a flow check, using a hose cost 78p an hour.

That is quite interesting.  Though it obviously depends on the pressure.  What bugs me is the charge for sewage when you water the garden.  I hope to get my own back by using rainwater to flush the loo in the winter.

What also bugs me is the large standing charge, what is the point of having the supply metered when they then add a huge fixed fee, especially for the sewage?

Use water from a well at the lottie so as long as it does not run dry we will be fine.

[Squash64]

I've just checked Birmingham City Council's Allotment Rules:-

6.1  Hoses or sprinklers are not allowed except where required to fill water  containers.

These rules are dated 1994 so it's not a new thing.  

[lincsyokel2]

I've just checked Birmingham City Council's Allotment Rules:-

6.1  Hoses or sprinklers are not allowed except where required to fill water  containers.

These rules are dated 1994 so it's not a new thing.  

thats only 15 years ago, barely yesterday. In this village theres a family who moved here in 1910, there still called 'the new family'.........

[djbrenton]

thats only 15 years ago, barely yesterday. In this village theres a family who moved here in 1910, there still called 'the new family'.........

If they keep marrying outside their own family, they'll never be considered locals.