Millions of homes are currently under hosepipe bans as the UK faces drought. This summer has been exceptionally hot and dry, so homes have been urged to limit their water usage. Over 20 million people have a temporary ban in place, with most areas in the south, south-east of England and parts of Wales.
Water companies tend to lift the ban when reservoir and river levels have recovered or when demand falls. The ban means households shouldn't use water supplied through a hosepipe. This could be for watering the garden, washing cars, filling paddling pools or ponds.
Alan Titchmarsh's water butt solution
Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has revealed how he gets around hosepipe bans and maintains a healthy garden. In his Gardening with Alan Titchmarsh TikTok video, Alan recommended installing water butts.
He said: "Every home should have water butts. What is in here is free, and you'll notice that whenever you water plants with rainwater, they do seem to grow better."
Alan has installed water butts on every downpipe at his home so that when it rains, the water is collected. He can then use the water in the butt to water his garden instead of using a hosepipe.
Storing rainwater for dry spells
The gardening expert added: "If you can store every drop of water possible in your garden, you'll be far less irritated when there is a hosepipe ban."
In his TikTok video, Alan explained: "Stop Wasting Free Rainwater! Water butts are one of the simplest ways to make better use of the water your garden already receives. Rainwater is completely free, and plants often seem to thrive when they're watered with it. By connecting a water butt to your home's downpipes, you can collect water that would otherwise be lost. And when the butt is full, a diverter can send the excess water safely down the drain. The more rainwater you store, the less you'll have to rely on the hosepipe. It can make a huge difference when dry weather arrives. And when there's a hosepipe ban, you'll be very glad you saved every drop."
Affected areas and ban duration
At present, Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, South East Water, Southern Water, South West Water, Thames Water and Wessex Water have announced bans this summer.
Addressing how long the ban will last, Thames Water said: "This will depend on the weather – although our customers' help in using water wisely will also be vital. We need prolonged and significant rainfall. We'll be carefully keeping a close eye on our water levels and will let you know when the ban can be lifted."
In its long-range weather forecast, the Met Office said: "This period is likely to start largely dry and settled across the UK, as a ridge of high pressure sets in. A few showers are likely in the far north and possibly the far southeast though. Conditions look like turning increasingly unsettled through next week, as low pressure gradually becomes dominant, squeezing the ridge off to the northeast. Most places are likely to see some rain or showers, particularly during the second half of next week, and these may be heavy with a risk of hail and thunder. It may become breezy if not windy at times too. Temperatures are likely to be near or a little below normal overall, with some chilly nights at first, but brief warm, humid spells are possible at times, especially in the south."
