I think in recent years most hose pipe bans have been banning the use of hoses in the garden for watering plants etc as opposed to hoses for commercial reasons, if it got that bad I guess they might ban other uses, but how can there ever be a water shortage with the amount of rain we get. Years ago (was it 1976 when we had the big shortages) my old chap said they couldn't even fill up with a bucket of water at most sites, it was that scarce, guess they scrimmed everthing! Hers to a hot and long summer.