Probably stupid question about garden hose

*Someone* (but I can't for the life of me remember who), told me that in order to own a garden hose, you must notify the water board?! Is this complete nonsense? Or is there any truth in this rumour?
Thank you, kindly. (Please don't laugh, I honestly can't remember the source of this conversation - maybe I dreamed it!)

 

My understanding is that some water boards require people on Water Rates to pay for a "license" to use a hose, or something like that. You get that money back again if there is a hosepipe ban.

But I'm on a meter so that doesn't effect me, I can use as much as I like 'coz I'm on a pay-as-you-go scheme

 

Actually I think it is "unattended use of a hose" - e.g. using a sprinkler.

Essex Water Board says: "If you do use a sprinkler system you must be on a water meter."
https://www.eswater.co.uk/your-home/saving-water/outside-your-home.aspx

I haven't looked at other water boards rules.

 

Ah, yes. I think I found the source of the confusion. We're with Severn Trent, who say that if you use a sprinkler, you must have a water meter (we don't currently have one). But I only want a hand-held hose, so I think we should be fine. (I don't want to use any more water than we are currently, I just want to save the trouble of filling the watering-can so many times!).
I think I'll add a hose-pipe to my shopping list! :-)

 

A drip irrigation system gets around all that ... and is a great fun Boys Toys gadget too

 

Thank you for the info @shiney

Thats really helpful for me as i have M.E. I cope fine at the mo but if i was to get worse again and couldn't carry watering cans anymore that knowledge will be really helpful. Thank you

 

I have an external water meter for the garden as well as a water meter for the property as a whole and get a rebate on the sewage portion for the usage on the external meter. Cost about £150- £200 to install the external meter. Just about paid for itself, over the years, as the sewage rate per cubic meter is about twice that for the supply per cubic meter down here.

 

I had no idea that was possible, Nice One!

Me too We've replaced our old septic tank with a digester thingie, so the outfall water from that is now suitable for use on the garden, so I'll be interested when I see my water bill to see if I am no longer using any "extra" in the summer months

 

Yup, you are right on that point - there is way-less than zero incentive for doing it, financially speaking. We have building works going on, so dove-tails with that, and our cesspit has been there fore 50 years or more, and there are bricks missing from the sides, finger drains don't work well, and so on ... so I convinced myself it was only a matter of time until it needed sorting out anyway

Lets hope that using the old cesspit as an irrigation water storage tank, and that I don't additionally need a 100 cu.m. tank - which will further upset the economics by another order of magnitude!!