# SE Drought Order / hoespipe ban



## Coulstock (Sep 2, 2008)

Any lateral thinking out there as to the April 5th drought order impact on campsites in the SE. ?

Thanks

Harry


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

*Re: SE Drought Order*



Coulstock said:


> Any lateral thinking out there as to the April 5th drought order impact on campsites in the SE. ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Harry


My lateral thought is to stay in Dorset as Wessex Water are not one of the effected companies.

Perhaps we will be rationed when we attend the Hamble rally, but as its a bank holiday I expect we will be able to catch enough if we leave buckets out.


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

Come up to Scotland, fill all your water tanks and containers and take it home. Worth a fortune. Don't waste good whisky by putting water in it.

Dave


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

come to this area - all the time we've lived here (since '79) Portsmouth Water Company have never had a hose pipe ban or restrictions. So west of the Arun, and over towards Fareham and north to the sussex / hampshire downs. Trouble is there aren't many sites around :roll:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: SE Drought Order*



Coulstock said:


> Any lateral thinking out there as to the April 5th drought order impact on campsites in the SE. ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Harry


I'm interested in the impact it will have on the Olympics ! Imagine; can't water all these new flower beds in the Village, all the athletes will only be able to have one shower per week, no water on sports pitches etc etc.

As to campsites; I'm sure we'll all be asked to shower with a friend and to go elsewhere to fill our fresh water tanks.

What about the drip-feed irrigation system we use on the pots in our garden when away ? Won't get away with that I suspect, even though we pay by the pint.

The area I live in has been blighted for over 10 years by a will-they/ won't they build a gigantic reservoir to serve London. They only decided they would not build it last year....

G


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Can't see that it will make any difference. The Drought/Hosepipe order has no bearing on the use of a hosepipe to fill domestic water storage units and there are no current plans to ration water. Hasn't been a problem in the past so why should it now?
Biggest problem is likely to be the inconsiderate parents who will think that it is ok for their kids to play water games or fill paddling pools because it is hot and they are on holiday.
Gerry


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

GerryD said:


> Biggest problem is likely to be the inconsiderate parents who will think that it is ok for their kids to play water games or fill paddling pools because it is hot and they are on holiday.
> Gerry


No I think it will be the golf clubs who are able to take direct from rivers. Inconsiderate or what?


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

*Re: SE Drought Order*



Grizzly said:


> Coulstock said:
> 
> 
> > Any lateral thinking out there as to the April 5th drought order impact on campsites in the SE. ?
> ...


The Environment Agency say; 
" plans are in place to ensure that the Olympic Games will not be adversely affected, by using water from "sustainable supplies".

"The Olympic Park and other Olympic venues have a high level of resilience to meet their needs even during a drought," says the Agency.

It also added: "The Queen's Diamond Jubilee pageant at the beginning of June will not be affected by the drought."


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

I come from Medway Towns and Bewl is the Reservoir that is always being shown on the telly.
Meridian telly in fact and behind the presenters is the picture of river Medway at Maidstone which is overflowing as under the bridge is the towpath and its always flooded as the river is high at this point.
The river runs to Allington locks where it goes through and is dispersed
to the tidal side where it flows to the sea.
Bewl apparently signed to say, when it was first built, that they had to release water to the river.
So why cant they stop and build the Reservoir up when there is a drought.
Also sort the leaks out

Ahh just checked http://www.southernwater.co.uk/News/latestNews/default.asp?aid=76509809
So lets see them get the permission


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Am I the only one who wonders why a gas pipeline can be built all the way from Russia yet we seem unable to divert water from North to South in our own country? Seems to me heads need banging together to gain some common sense.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Boris has the answer--

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17314545

The Scottish government has offered to provide water for drought-hit areas in the south of England.

But ministers admit there are huge logistical issues to be overcome before it could happen.

London's Mayor, Boris Johnson says water could be exported to the south of England via a series of canals.

But Scottish Infrastructure Minister, Alex Neil, has suggested harnessing it to work to build the High Speed Rail system (HS2).


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

ob1 said:


> Am I the only one who wonders why a gas pipeline can be built all the way from Russia yet we seem unable to divert water from North to South in our own country? .


Money.

It would be much cheaper to provide better water collection facilities at those areas of the country liable to drought.
Much of the rainfall is wasted and flows to the sea during rainy periods.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

I wish they would concentrate on Desalination plants.
the sea is going to rise so it might help the situation 
http://www.urgentevoke.com/video/can-you-turn-sea-water-into


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## Markt500 (Mar 23, 2010)

Imposing a hose pipe ban due to lack of rainfall is fair enough. Letting the water companies get away with losing millions of litres per day in leaks, is the bit I can't understand! 

Surely if the government ordering them to rectify the leak problem immediately using the trezillions of profit they earn from us, would we then need the hose pipe ban?

Oh no, there I go again thinking the government work on our behalf! Imagine if this happened in France!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

locovan said:


> .
> 
> London's Mayor, Boris Johnson says water could be exported to the south of England via a series of canals.


Boris is a classicist. He clearly has no idea of the laws of physics !

As for desalination: where is the energy to come from ?

G


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

What if they used dual-purpose facility in which a power plant becomes the source of energy for desalination and the national grid.

Wind farms could be used so they could push any power left over through the National grid.

Or Nuclear powered as we have to make more energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

locovan said:


> What if they used dual-purpose facility in which a power plant becomes the source of energy for desalination and the national grid.
> 
> Wind farms could be used so they could push any power left over through the National grid.
> 
> ...


They would all be excellent, Mavis but we all know how long anything at all takes to get planning permission and to be built in UK ! It's not going to be the solution to this drought- or the next...or the next.

G


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

ob1 said:


> Am I the only one who wonders why a gas pipeline can be built all the way from Russia yet we seem unable to divert water from North to South in our own country? Seems to me heads need banging together to gain some common sense.


Go for it. Then with the value of our water, combined with all that gas waiting to be frakked under Fylde, can I be the first to call for independence for NW England?


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Grizzly said:


> locovan said:
> 
> 
> > What if they used dual-purpose facility in which a power plant becomes the source of energy for desalination and the national grid.
> ...


Thats the problem we dont plan these things and soon the sea will be rising and there will be no Southern England.
They are not going to build Sea defenses at Seasalter only Whistable never thinking that the sea will flood in from Seasalter and travel down the road anyway.
Wont have to worry about watering the garden then.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

As long as piping all the Northern water South doesn't result in us sitting in the pouring rain with water restrictions, whilst the South has water and sunshine :lol: :lol: :lol: 8O 

Aldra


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

aldra said:


> As long as piping all the Northern water South doesn't result in us sitting in the pouring rain with water restrictions, whilst the South has water and sunshine :lol: :lol: :lol: 8O
> 
> Aldra


Quite...and just think of the effect it'll have on southern campsites if all those Northerners flock south ! Will the CC website cope, I ask myself ?

Has anyone thought of the effect of all this water suddenly flowing south ? Surely we'll tip towards the continent ? Will we then even need ferries ? Perhaps a line to Eurotunnel to suggest they put off buying SeaFrance in case a land bridge develops ?

G


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

G In the words of John McEnroe





 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

locovan said:


> G In the words of John McEnroe
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh utterly serious Mavis !

The best solution might be to import water from France. In our experience it always rains in northern France so they have plenty to spare. There are two ways this could be done:

1. Huge water containers on the ferries. These would be carried during the day and would mean that those ferries which had left Dover in the wee, small hours, full of fleeing motorhomers, would return to Dover with a full load.

2. Along with the electricity that we import from France. Everyone knows that electricity and water do not mix so there would be no problem separating them at this end as they flowed out of the wires. On days when we export electricity to Europe then the electricity and water would flow in opposite directions. This is known as _ alternating current _

G


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

This is known as alternating current :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Actually there is a much simpler answer

I will come for a holiday in the drought areas, (I can move around a bit)

That will definitely guarantee rain and lots of it    

Aldra


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

getting back to the original question--they are going to fine us £1000.00 if we use hose pipes when the drought order is issued here in the south -So what happens when we use the hosepipe to put water into our M/Homes.??


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## carpenter_pete (Nov 17, 2010)

Oy! keep your hands off our water we have endured a wet winter to get it. 
Pete, north west of england.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

aldra said:


> Actually there is a much simpler answer
> 
> I will come for a holiday in the drought areas, (I can move around a bit)
> 
> ...


We're all forgetting that there will be two big outdoor national events taking place this summer. Surely that means it'll rain ?

Mavis: you'll have to buy a watering can to fill the van or do it at night ?

G


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

A tiny bit serious: according to the paper this morning Thames Water anyway will allow drip hose irrigation systems. I suspect my OH was rather hoping they might be banned and then he wouldn't have to spend ages putting ours out, shunting pots around and then servicing and testing it before we go away.

G


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Interesting that Thames are allowing drip irrigation systems. I fitted one to my house a couple of years ago, and United Utilities imposed a hosepipe ban the day after, which did cover irrigation systems (not that I would ever have dreamt of turning it on when it went dark so no-one could see, oh, no...).

Mavis, I asked the question on here at the time about filling up the van tank with hosepipe, and was called stupid. Consensus was it didn't count.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I would not count on that consensus

I'd fill up carefully after dark or use a watering can

On site there should be notices indicating if using a hose pipe to fill the van is acceptable

There's nowt as strange as rules, well, maybe those who make them :lol: :lol: :lol:

Aldra


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Rosbotham said:


> Interesting that Thames are allowing drip irrigation systems. .


And watering the Olympic grass will be allowed too.

Extract from the Times this morning:

_Q & A What does a hosepipe ban mean?

It depends on where you live. For instance, Anglian Water customers will be forbidden from using hosepipes to water plants, wash the car or clean their yachts. They will, however, be able to remove graffiti and top up ponds - provided they have fish in them. Thames Water maintains a more fundamentalist stance on ponds, but does allow drip irrigation systems for plants. Thames, the official water provider for the Olympics, also provides one other notable exception: "Watering an area of grass where this is required in connection with an international sporting event." _

G


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Maybe you poor parched Southerners could learn something from a canny Northerner.

I have a modern house with Combi boiler (and water meter). When the kitchen hot tap is switched on, it takes a while to get hot water at the tap. I experimented and found that I got 3/4 of a bucketful of water before it started getting hot.

So, save water and money with Dr. 747's money (and water) saving tips.


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## Morphology (Jul 23, 2010)

locovan said:


> getting back to the original question--they are going to fine us £1000.00 if we use hose pipes when the drought order is issued here in the south -So what happens when we use the hosepipe to put water into our M/Homes.??


That's what I'd like to know too: Can we still fill our motorhomes using a hose pipe, or do I have to do 20 trips with a 5litre watering can?

Morph.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Contact the water board or

fill it quietly under the cover of darkness and then you need only top it up with a watering can

We carry a 13 gal watering can and most of the time that's what we (well him) top up with, easier than moving the van or queuing for water.

Aldra


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

Rosbotham said:


> Interesting that Thames are allowing drip irrigation systems. I fitted one to my house a couple of years ago, and United Utilities imposed a hosepipe ban the day after, which did cover irrigation systems (not that I would ever have dreamt of turning it on when it went dark so no-one could see, oh, no...).
> 
> Mavis, I asked the question on here at the time about filling up the van tank with hosepipe, and was called stupid. Consensus was it didn't count.


You can fill a pond so I will tell them Im watering my fish -- :lol: :lol: 
If Im caught


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Only if you can convince them that you keep fish in your onboard tank Mavis :lol: :lol: :lol:


Ill lend you one or two of my smaller koi

Aldra


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

It's been alleged that Scottish Water is quite happy to supply water to the drought areas of England - as long as it has been passed by Scottish Inspectors.


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## scouter (Dec 14, 2007)

Hi 

Yes you will be allowed to fill your camper tanks by hosepipe. 

For water companies to make requests for abstraction licenses to be varied (so they can take more water from a river or borehole, they must first take steps to reduce water consumption and it most cases this means banning the use of hosepipes to water plants, wash the car, clean their yachts or top up their swimming pools. They will generally however, be able to remove graffiti and top up ponds — provided they have fish in them. 

We had some fantastic schemes proposed here in Yorkshire in our 95 drought, and we built some great sections of pipeline liking parts of our system and neighbouring systems so we could move water about, we also found some unusual ways of doing it too. Any one remember all those tankers? 

British rail or whoever it was then wanted us to transfer the water tankers to the railway, but they needed 6 months notice to get more engines and tankers and train crews! 

A Norwegian Power Company offered us water from their Hydroelectric Power Station and they had already built a loading bay on the coast and were selling water to Arabia. Apparently I caused a problem with shipping rates for sea tankers when we turned the scheme down. 

There was plan to lasso an iceberg and tow it up the Humber, but it wouldn't fit under the bridge and fhey wouldn't take the bridge deck down for a few months whilst we moved the iceberg. (that got in the press at the time). 

A very persistent small bottled water supplier reckoned we should have bought all the extra water from his spring in Barnsley. I don't think he understood how much water gets used each day. 

I had a long correspondence with a guy who reckoned we should connnect all the factory roofs together and catch all the rain, but at the time it wasn't raining! and hadn't rained for months. 

Its not so long ago that there were concerns about the tube network in London from rising groundwater levels. The great industries in London who abstracted water from beneath the city have nearly all gone but the water isn't of great quality due to past pollution. But its good enough for watering the grass and similar activities in most cases. 

Remember as well as hosepipe bans by the water companies, the Environment Agency will be reducing or banning the abstraction of water by other users eg agriculture, factories etc. So expect food prices to go up at some point in the future. 

If anyone wants to know about water tankering as previously practiced in Yorkshire and down from Darlington just ask!! 

Seriuosly though, the increasing variations in our rainfall are going to cause more and more problems in the future unless we come up with better ways of using and saving the water we abstract and maybe using more non potable water for gardens , car washig etc. 

cheers alan


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## mrbricolage (Jun 30, 2008)

*Hosepipe ban*

So how is it going to affect you. Washing the motorhome is going to be a proverbial pain in the bum without a hose or jet washer. Imagine rinsing it off. It will take forever.

Also is filling up your van wi th water going to be restricted as well? My personal thoughts on the matter are that the water companies really need to pull their socks up and actually invest some of the massive profits they make back into their infrastucture rather than putting bills up and handing out antiquated hosepipe bans.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

covered here recently

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-122206-30-days0-orderasc-hosepipe.html

:wink:

................redundant due to merge of threads............


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

hi 747, seems like you need a new boiler if it takes nearly a bucketfull before it gets hot. :wink: :wink: 

cabby


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

cabby said:


> hi 747, seems like you need a new boiler if it takes nearly a bucketfull before it gets hot. :wink: :wink:
> 
> cabby


Not so young cabby. 

The hot water pipes are routed all round the house before they reach the kitchen tap. A 5 year old could have designed a better system.

We might extend the kitchen here and if we do, I will have one of those instant hot water boilers fitted (like the old fashioned Ascot gas water boilers from the 1960's). It would save me a potful of money over the year.

My other rant at house designers is the fact that the room thermostat is placed beside the front door on the cold side of the house on a morning plus the prevailing westerly wind blows in when the front door is opened. This rapidly cools off the area and starting a new heating cycle. :evil:

The bleeding Romans were more advanced. :lol:


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

Currently spring cleaning my MH ready for the road.
Can fill up with a watering can during the ban.
No rain....lots of sun....warm winter.....I don't mind paying the price :roll: 
Only in East Anglia of course :wink:


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

747

I use a drayton wireless digistat, that would get round your problem

Ian


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

747 said:


> cabby said:
> 
> 
> > hi 747, seems like you need a new boiler if it takes nearly a bucketfull before it gets hot. :wink: :wink:
> ...


I think whoever designed your hot water system did ours too. I reckon it goes down the road and baclk before finally getting to the kitchen tap


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

icer said:


> 747
> 
> I use a drayton wireless digistat, that would get round your problem
> 
> Ian


Hi icer,

Thanks for the info but when I checked it out, I cannot see how it will work any better.

The basic problem is the temperature variation due to siting it at the bottom of the stairs and near a frquently opened front door. This is also the coldest part of the house until the sun gets around to the front in the afternoon. The living areas can be warm but the heating will still kick in, making the house uncomfortably warm.

This setup means that as the temperature drops, I have to turn the heating DOWN to stop the house becoming a greenhouse. As it gets milder, I have to turn the heating UP otherwise the heating will not kick in at all.

If I was to resite the thermostat into the living room, it should work properly. I think you might not be allowed to do that though.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

For clarity, I've merged the two threads into one under MH chit chat, and changed the title :wink:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

747 said:


> If I was to resite the thermostat into the living room, it should work properly. I think you might not be allowed to do that though.


We've got a wireless thermostat too and have moved it round the house into every room and corner in an attempt to get uniform warmth all the time. You can put it where you like- so long as it can communicate with base, which, in our case, is in the airing cupboard.

We've got individual radiator thermostats on most radiators but they seem only to confuse the issue.

The gas board, who fitted it originally, put it upstairs on the landing, so that it turned off quite quickly and left downstairs rooms quite cool.

We still haven't come up with the best place to site it.

G


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

House central heating? One topic at a time please!! (Although 747's system is designed properly, room 'stat should be in coldest room in the house :lol: )



EJB said:


> Can fill up with a watering can during the ban.


Have you ever tried filling a 100+ litre tank, plus another 15 for the hotwater, from empty using a watering can? I did once, when we had a ban here. Only once...


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Just checked with the very nice man at Veolia drought helpline. Filling the fresh water tank of a caravan or motorhome is classed as domestic use and therefore exempt from the hosepipe ban.
Makes sense really.
Gerry


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

GerryD said:


> Just checked with the very nice man at Veolia drought helpline. Filling the fresh water tank of a caravan or motorhome is classed as domestic use and therefore exempt from the hosepipe ban.
> Makes sense really.
> Gerry


Thanks Gerry --yes it does make sense but you know what neighbours are like and I was worried if they would try and report me seeing me with a hose pipe.


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## mrbricolage (Jun 30, 2008)

bognormike said:


> For clarity, I've merged the two threads into one under MH chit chat, and changed the title :wink:


and now I look like a total random nutter


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

mrbricolage said:


> bognormike said:
> 
> 
> > For clarity, I've merged the two threads into one under MH chit chat, and changed the title :wink:
> ...


sorry, MrB :roll:  
You'll fit in with the rest of us, though :lol:


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

locovan said:


> GerryD said:
> 
> 
> > Just checked with the very nice man at Veolia drought helpline. Filling the fresh water tank of a caravan or motorhome is classed as domestic use and therefore exempt from the hosepipe ban.
> ...


If they start complaining while you're filling up, just turn & face them :lol:


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Rosbotham,

I always start off with hand filling, I use 2 X 5 litre french water containers normally about 95 litres. 


747,

TBH my thermostat is in the coldest portion of my house, whilst I also have stats on my rads I regulate using the wireless stat.

House is 1600 but fortunately now have glass, portions are better insulated than others so it is a nightmare, we often set the thermostat at 12C. and that works quite well. Runs on oil and if left to its own devices would run all day but at 4.5 litres per hour I think not!!

Good luck

Ian


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

GerryD said:


> Just checked with the very nice man at Veolia drought helpline. Filling the fresh water tank of a caravan or motorhome is classed as domestic use and therefore exempt from the hosepipe ban.
> Makes sense really.
> Gerry


Gerry: does Veolia advice apply to all water boards though ? From what I read the other day, they can all make up their own set of rules as to what they do and do not allow. ( That is not to say that filling your MH with water could or should be banned under any sensible regulation and I'd be amazed if any board did ban it.)

More to the point is the habit that some of us get into of dumping excess water before we go home. We prefer to start off with an empty tank rather than use water which has been sitting in the tank for any length of time. We'll have to be more careful about when we do a last-fill-up-of-the-trip so as not to have much to dump before we go home.

G


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Grizzly said:


> GerryD said:
> 
> 
> > Just checked with the very nice man at Veolia drought helpline. Filling the fresh water tank of a caravan or motorhome is classed as domestic use and therefore exempt from the hosepipe ban.
> ...


Grizzly,
Once again I think you will find that common sense prevails. The water that you use to fill the tank in your motorhome is for domestic use, just the same as in your own home. Also, if you look at any campsite, you are likely to find a length of hose attached to the tap to enable caravanners etc to fill aquarolls and other canisters without straining your back by lifting them to the tap.
Finally, there is the fact that water use in a motorhome or caravan is considerably lower than you would use at home for the same job; showering, washing up etc. So whilst you are in your motorhome or caravan you are saving natural resources.
Of course, if you are sceptical about whether the same rule applies in your area, you are always at liberty to do the same as me and make a phone call.
Gerry


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

GerryD said:


> Of course, if you are sceptical about whether the same rule applies in your area, you are always at liberty to do the same as me and make a phone call.
> 
> Gerry


Gerry! I wasn't doubting you  at all. In fact I pretty much said the same as you: I agreed with you:



Grizzly said:


> ( That is not to say that filling your MH with water could or should be banned under any sensible regulation and I'd be amazed if any board did ban it.)
> 
> G


I'm with Thames Water. I know what they are allowing and banning but also know that different boards are not doing exactly the same thing. You quote Veolia's take on the ban and I was simply warning people that they must not assume their board is the same- ie to do as you did and ring them if they are in doubt.

G


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## carpenter_pete (Nov 17, 2010)

I see they have lifted the ban now.
Bet those with 4ft of water in their garden are pleased!!!
Pete


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