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Hawthorn37
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I’m sure many people with fixed tanks in campervans, Motorhomes, boats and the like will be thinking about this, especially in situations where the use of a hose is in public view. My ‘common sense’ response would be, it’s for potable / drinking use, and what you’re doing at home is no different to topping up water at say a campsite, so it’s not banned.
However, each water company has its own interpretation of a hosepipe ban, and you should check the wording. For Southern Water, the headlines look OK for filling a van, but looking at the detail of what they say
Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use - no exceptions
If you’re concerned, Id be tempted to call Southern Water, or trawl their FAQs pages, to get closer guidance.
Apart from that, to make it more obvious to all around, I would use a blue hose, for drinking water.
ArunAlec
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Pop over to West Sussex….. Southern Water haven’t imposed ban ……..yet!
dspuk
Dave
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Agree with @Hawthorn37 - I had a quick look and read it the same - going away in the van for a weekend could be classed as domestic recreational so it's a little grey.
Hawthorn37
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Should be able to fill on a campsite at least? Maybe worth gaining the view of one of the clubs, like CMC ??
Looks like the ban in the South of England is growing, to Thames now.
Looks like the ban in the South of England is growing, to Thames now.
Whistler
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Doesnt need to go that far, Portsmouth Water don't have a hosepipe ban.
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V
vwsween
there is a difference between domestic and domestic recreational, Yorshire water are specific that filling a tank for domestic use (drinking, washing up, flushing toilets and the like) with a pipe is perfectly ok.
dspuk
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Technically it is a hosepipe ban:
A “hosepipe” means anything designed, adapted or used to serve the same purpose as a hosepipe. This means garden sprinklers and most irrigation systems, connected to the mains water supply, are all considered to be hosepipes, together with anything attached to them like pressure washers.
If needed this weekend I'll just use my water container and fill from the tap, using that to fill the tank.
I'd question the "domestic" recreational use - you're leaving home in the van so not strictly domestic, but is recreational.
Pretty sure that a business can still supply so sites should be fine.
There is a pretty active discussion over here - https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t39520-hosepipe-bans-and-motorhomes
A “hosepipe” means anything designed, adapted or used to serve the same purpose as a hosepipe. This means garden sprinklers and most irrigation systems, connected to the mains water supply, are all considered to be hosepipes, together with anything attached to them like pressure washers.
If needed this weekend I'll just use my water container and fill from the tap, using that to fill the tank.
I'd question the "domestic" recreational use - you're leaving home in the van so not strictly domestic, but is recreational.
Pretty sure that a business can still supply so sites should be fine.
There is a pretty active discussion over here - https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t39520-hosepipe-bans-and-motorhomes
S
SamSara
I phoned Southern water and they were not prepared to give me a definitive answer. I have been to a couple of sites so filled up when i got there!
Hawthorn37
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So, I think I see that the consensus on the autosleeper forum is : yes filling by hose at home is probably against the rules and you could be fined, but the water companies won’t comment; filling at a commercial premises (a site) is allowed; if you want to fill at home, go out and buy a long spouted watering can or similar. Its only 30 litres so that’s only 3 x 10L watering can fills.
dspuk
Dave
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Aye - that's more or less what I'll do with my big water container.
V
Vagophile
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I'm not affected by any hosepipe ban, but this is what I do anyhow as it is as quick and simple as using a hose given the position of the various internal and external taps at my house.
Ocean Spirit
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Think of it this way and go right ahead and use the hose pipe!!
You can still do things like water plants so long as you don't use a hose pipe.
So the emphasis is of course about not wasting water which would be far more likely using a hose pipe than something that generally gives directional control more easily. A hose pipe in responsible hands is mightily different than a hose pipe in the hands of someone that doesn't care and that is currently the the kind of level the restriction must be aiming at otherwise the details of the ban would go further.
Getting drinking water into the van needn't constitute any more waste than another method and is a damn site quicker, so it really does not matter how you got drinking water into the van if you don't spill copious amounts.
You can still do things like water plants so long as you don't use a hose pipe.
So the emphasis is of course about not wasting water which would be far more likely using a hose pipe than something that generally gives directional control more easily. A hose pipe in responsible hands is mightily different than a hose pipe in the hands of someone that doesn't care and that is currently the the kind of level the restriction must be aiming at otherwise the details of the ban would go further.
Getting drinking water into the van needn't constitute any more waste than another method and is a damn site quicker, so it really does not matter how you got drinking water into the van if you don't spill copious amounts.
andyinluton
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I am sure that reading each individual water companies site would give an answer.
Thames for example are pretty clear as to what you cannot use a hosepipe for:
Due to unprecedented weather conditions, including the driest July in 135 years and the hottest recorded temperatures since 1885, Thames Water today confirmed that the Temporary Use Ban (TUB) will come into effect across London and the Thames Valley at 00:01 BST, 24 August 2022.
Domestic customers should not use hosepipes for cleaning cars, watering gardens or allotments, filling paddling pools and swimming pools and cleaning windows.
Of course there will be the odd bar room lawyer that will argue that a Cali is not a car & therefore may be washed using a hose.........
Certainly no ban on using a hose for filling water tanks.
Thames for example are pretty clear as to what you cannot use a hosepipe for:
Due to unprecedented weather conditions, including the driest July in 135 years and the hottest recorded temperatures since 1885, Thames Water today confirmed that the Temporary Use Ban (TUB) will come into effect across London and the Thames Valley at 00:01 BST, 24 August 2022.
Domestic customers should not use hosepipes for cleaning cars, watering gardens or allotments, filling paddling pools and swimming pools and cleaning windows.
Of course there will be the odd bar room lawyer that will argue that a Cali is not a car & therefore may be washed using a hose.........
Certainly no ban on using a hose for filling water tanks.
Ch1pbutty
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We are also in West Sussex, but ban was put in place by our supplier a few weeks ago.
But we have a 12m deep well in the garden fed by the River Adur connected to a submersible pump..
V
Vagophile
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Do you need a water abstraction licence from the Environment Agency? (or any other licencing body)
Ch1pbutty
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Only if we exceed 20m3 per day.
The Tall Luthier
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We are all built differently I guess but my appproach would be to work out why the hose pipe ban is there. Answer: drinking and washing is more important that green grass
Are you working in the spirit of the law in a way that will support your community’s aims to preserve water? Then crack on, ask no one, get it filled.
Are you working in the spirit of the law in a way that will support your community’s aims to preserve water? Then crack on, ask no one, get it filled.
V
vwsween
All these things may be read in different ways by different people or organisations but their meaning is ultimately subject to what a court decides, if it ever comes to that. However, it seems obvious to me that a definition of domestic use will be different to the definition of domestic recreational. That difference is based on how the water is being used (for example to clean your teeth = domestic and fill a hot tub = recreational) and has nothing to do with whether you are in a recreational vehicle. Its the water use that counts and domestic does not mean you have to be at home.
No doubt Welsh Gas could have explained this with fewer words.
Meoncoast
an Ocean by the Sea
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That sounds like a typical water company reply.
Meoncoast
an Ocean by the Sea
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"If you are heading away on holiday in a motorhome or with a caravan you can use a hosepipe to fill the water tank, however, the water must only be used for drinking, cooking or washing." This I have seen on several web pages so I am going with this given I can fill the van without spilling any compared to other methods.
Bellcrew
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The chances of getting a fine for filling the vans 30 litre tank with a hose is very close to zero, don't sweat it.
Meoncoast
an Ocean by the Sea
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Concur.
GrannyJen
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I've just filled up.
Domestic consumption,.
I could just as easily fill up with 10 trips with a 10l bucket so what's the difference other than convenience?
Domestic consumption,.
I could just as easily fill up with 10 trips with a 10l bucket so what's the difference other than convenience?
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