Re: Hosepipe Ban
Strange ban - was/is it a total ban? or was it just a partial ban on hose pipe use?
Even during the Millennium ten year drought when Sydney dam levels shrank to 25% there was never a total hose pipe ban.
Hoses had to be fitted with a trigger nozzle, car washing using a hose was out and time of use was restricted. An unfortunate side effect of that was that Sydney water had to reduce the water pressure because it was over 1000kpa at the time and when the flow was turned off at the nozzle the hose blew apart.
One thing the reduced water pressure has done is increase the sale of pressure washers.
Some of the restrictions from that drought remain even now:
- watering is allowed before 10 am and after 4 pm on any day - to avoid the heat of the day
- all hoses must have a trigger nozzle
- no hosing of hard surfaces, such as paths and driveways, but washing vehicles is allowed
- fire hoses may only be used for fire-fighting activities.
I doubt they ever enforce these bans now but during that drought there were Sydney Water inspectors scouring the streets looking for offenders.