Brendan Hughes

Southern Water (Kent, Sussex, IoW) reports 1500 tip-offs to its telephone hotline.

But before you all complain about this country and want to emigrate to Australia, read on:

"In Sydney, Australia, where water restrictions have applied since 2003, random checks to "ensure compliance" are carried out by the Soviet-style Water Restrictions Patrol. As for dobbing in your neighbours, it has become socially acceptable. Permits are required to fill backyard pools and cars that get dirty stay that way, or else. The hosing of pathways to clear leaves, once a great Australian pastime, is likely to result in a citizen's arrest. Websites are abuzz with tales of flagrant water abuse, and people are encouraged to inform."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/water/stor...752066,00.html

Leslie

I'd hate to think we are becoming a country of sneaks over that Kind of thing, even if the government and the police encourage it! Dangerous or murderous behaviour is one thing but not for things like that.

Les

vindaloo

Leslie, in the UK where we get "flagrant" rainfall every other day, I tend to agree. IMO the problem in the UK isn't so much a lack of water but wastefulness both on the part of consumers and suppliers. Consumers don't see what all the fuss is about and suppliers don't seem to maintain the infrastructure.

IMO there's not a real shortage until we get panic buying of Evian and water cutoffs during the daytime etc.

I won't comment on the Aussie situation as I don't know enough about their infrastructure. Someone who used to live in Sydney didn't like it though as it was "too hot, sticky, humid".

J.

legb4rsk

Before we start I agree that we should conserve water & everyone should have a meter so we pay for the amount we use, but......

Does anyone know how much water will be saved with a hosepipe ban compared to how much is gushing out of the leaking mains pipes everyday for years?

This makes me furious.The PRIVATE! water companies paid for an old system & won't spend enough to fix it quickly.Just wait and see if any of the directors don't get massive bonuses this year!
It's their problem & if they have to spend a fortune & borrow money to sort it out quickly,that's their problem & they knew about it.

The Government need to step in & make sure they don't increase charges to consumers to cover their own costs instead of acting as the police force for them & making criminals out of consumers.

Flatcapdriver

Brendan,

we've had water shortages in Oz for donkeys years, which is why it's become socially acceptable to dob someone else in. People are prepared to shoulder their share of the burden by rationing their water usage rather than just whingeing about it and blaming the water companies, which is what happens in the UK. If others selfishly continue to use hoses etc then the Ocker mentality of 'one for all and all for one' rises to the surface - hence the increase in dobbing plus the fact that Sydneysiders are just plain ******* anyway.

AudiLover

First they have to detect leaking pipes. The then have to dig up stretches of road to replace them, all whilst new leaks are springing up all the time. Then they also have to spend time connecting the old style pipes to the new plastic ones.

And also so many consumers waste water its unbeliveable. Its as if some people were born without a brain and just take evrything for granted.

Scooby-Doo

I was a bit shocked to read Thames Water lose 105 million gallons of water per day in leaks !!!!!

Luan Pra bang

It does not get lost though it works its way back to ground water lakes and rivers sooner or later anyway.

Scooby-Doo

So does watering my garden

MJB2

The thing that gets me is why they don’t promote these more http://www.stwater.co.uk/server.php?show=nav.5795 each time you flush a toilet it saves 1ltr. Say there are 50 million people in the uk and we all take a leak at least twice that’s 100 million litres saved everyday.

davyboy

You could just put a "brick in a bag" in your cistern.

I heard another fact recently about how much water would be saved by turning your tap off while you brushed you teeth.

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

did anyone see the metro today?? (sorry london only)
picture of some numpty contractor jet washing with hose, the outside of a building that belongs to......thames water !!

The bloody cheek of them...
apparently loads of people complained and even some of the employees as well

some dim wit spokesperson from thames water said

" oh we have told them to stop using hoses, but they ignore us "

yeah right !!
****

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

You in Melbourne then?


M

Flatcapdriver

Was for few years but mainly in Perth.