[dazmond]

Just heard it on the BBC news......cleaning windows with a hose is banned in some parts in the south.

Back to ladders then?

[dazmond]

I think the newsreader must of meant the homeowner using a hosepipe to clean their own windows....do people really do that?

[Splash & dash]

I very much doubt it a hose pipe ban doesn’t affect us , it would have to be special measures and that would affect most industries not just windows cleaners , usually  hose pipe ban comes in first then at a later date special measures , nothing is planned in the sww area at the moment but that might change

[windowswashed]

Water companies charge enough but never invest enough, especially with all the new builds for years, climate change and yet they never allow for these additional homes, lack of common sense or greed and profit before caring about their customers, eff all of them seeing as we pay the highest water bills in the country with the lowest regional wages!

[james peters]

we have had some lovely rain here in Gods country  (wales)

[EandM]

Unless they’ve changed the law, again, WFP is considered an essential service and therefore exempt from the hosepipe ban.

[Simon Trapani]

Been waiting for this annual thread for a few weeks now 🙄🥱

[Slacky]

Water levels in Southern water reservoirs are at the same level as they were this time last year and plenty higher than they usually are going in to the winter.

https://www.southernwater.co.uk/water-for-life/reservoir-levels

[DJW]

[DJW]

Probably ok to wash everything with Hypo still.

[Smudger]

 

apart from the silly scaremainering - and Daz you've been doing this long enough to know better..

i'm on a commercial site, + don't use a hose pipe to fill the storage tanks

perhaps those that only need tap water and live in a domestic property could possibly be at risk....

Darran

[Slacky]

Daz IS at risk as he doesn't purify his water. Straight down the hose-pipe and in to the van.

[deeege]

You’ve had a right Dazmond here Daz.

[james peters]

come and spend your money in wales we cant wait to be an independent country.

[dazmond]

Again on the news this morning they said washing windows is banned in some parts of the country.of course I know its not but some of your customers might want to skip a clean or two.

Ironically it's torrential rain here in the North West at present!

[EandM]

From the bastion of common sense and good judgment (do we have an emoji for sarcasm?)
- the Daily Mail:

" The ban does not impose restrictions on essential and commercial uses of water, such as commercial window cleaners and car washes, or businesses that need water as part of their operations " - Well, it's nice to still be in business this morning.

[Pete Thompson]

Washing windows by householders is banned.

At present, all water companies are giving exemptions for small businesses.

These are discretionary however, and the 2010 act does give water companies the power to restrict businesses if they choose to.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2231/contents

In that act, it gives a general exception for H&S ; (sec 12.2)
“ (2) Using a hosepipe to clean the walls or windows of domestic premises for health or safety reasons is not to be treated as falling within the category of use in that section.”
Does that apply to us? Keep reading!

They are doing this in stages, and they are apparently not going to restrict businesses with normal Temporary Use Bans, only drought orders.

See page 86 on Thames Waters drought plan for this year:

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/media-library/home/about-us/regulation/drought-plan/drought-plan-2022/thames-water-draft-drought-plan-2022.pdf

You’ll see it lists under discretionary exemptions “small businesses whose sole operations are cleaning of windows using hosepipes”

HOWEVER
UKWI CODE OF PRACTICE AND GUIDANCE FOR WATER COMPANIES ON WATER USE RESTRICTIONS – 2013
(To which all water companies are signed up)
Says on page 38:

“- The use of water fed poles for window cleaning at height is permitted under the H&S statutory exemption.

- The restrictions do not apply where the cleaning apparatus is not connected to the mains supply”

https://www.water.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/managing-through-drought-code-of-practice-min-ilovepdf-compressed.pdf

Someone needs to point out to the water companies that we don’t need their ever-so-kind discretionary exemption. We are allowed to continue under the H&S Statutory Exemption provided in the act, and there is no way they can stop us.

[Shrek]

Not many water companies are even considering a hosepipe ban…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-62406916.amp