Hosepipe ban in Sussex: You can still keep gardens glowing and the fun going without using a hosepipe

Hosepipe ban: The simple changes you can make to keep your gardens glowing and the fun going - submitted picture

There may be a hosepipe ban in Sussex … but by making small swaps to your life, your family and garden means you can still enjoy summer with a splash!

With June being the hottest since records began, demand for water in Sussex soared. On one day the extra demand alone peaked so high that it would have supplied the usual needs of Eastbourne four times over.

That’s a lot of water!

South East Water was unable to keep its underground treated water storage tanks at an acceptable level to ensure that it could provide clean safe drinking quality water for its 2.3 million customers.

The small lifestyle swaps you can make to save water - submitted picture

Decisions had to be made to get the system back on track; but even now a hosepipe ban is in place, it doesn’t mean that your gardens or your summer fun time need suffer.

Working together to save water

With everyone working together, the water system will be able to recover and people can still enjoy the summer vibes at the same time.

Your gardens can still bloom, and you can keep cool in the sunshine with small swaps that will help to save water this summer.

Did you know that a hosepipe uses so much water that every 10 minutes is the equivalent of 170 litres of drinking quality water – which is also around 19 toilet flushes or two bathtubs.

Which is why a watering can is by far the better option; and remember to water your plants roots, and not the leaves!

And before the kids start dragging out the paddling pool, remind yourself that there may be better ways to have fun and keep cool with water this summer.

Have a think about these statistics ... then remember why everyone is in it together to save precious water this summer.

Did you know that:

Even though the Earth is made of more than 70 per cent water, only one per cent of it can sustainably be converted into safe drinking water
Clean water isn’t just for drinking, it is also used to flush your toilets and feed your outdoor water taps, where you would attach a hosepipe.
The average hosepipe may use the equivalent of 170 litres of drinking quality water every 10 minutes, but a watering can, on average, takes just 10 litres of water to fill.
And point the spout right to a plant’s roots to quench its thirst, not its leaves!
Watering late evening or early morning watering will ensure plants blossom just as brightly and water won’t evaporate.
Filling a paddling pool with a hosepipe for just one hour can use the same amount of water as a whole family would use in the home in two days.
Do something else! Invest in some water blasters for some splashing family fun time.

A spokesman said: “South East Water is very grateful to the many customers who are already helping by making small changes to save water.

“Working together will make sure that everyone can enjoy summer.”

For more ideas on how to save water in and out of the home, check out South East Water’s website