Hosepipe bans — or Temporary Use Bans, to give them their official name — have become an almost annual event in parts of the UK. Climate change, population growth, and ageing infrastructure mean water companies are increasingly forced to restrict non-essential use during dry periods.
What a Hosepipe Ban Actually Means
During a ban, you cannot use a hosepipe to water your garden, clean your car, fill a swimming pool, or clean windows. However — and this is the important bit — you can still use a watering can.
A watering can filled from a water butt is unrestricted, even during the strictest ban. That’s your garden’s lifeline.
How Much Water Do You Need?
During a typical UK dry spell, a medium-sized garden needs about 50-100 litres per day to keep plants healthy. A single 200-litre water butt gives you 2-4 days of water. Connect two or three together and you can easily last a week or more.
Make the Most of Your Stored Water
During a ban, prioritise high-value plants: vegetables, newly planted shrubs, and containers. Established lawns will go brown but won’t die — they recover quickly when rain returns.
Use mulch around plants to reduce evaporation. Water in the evening when it’s cooler. Target the roots, not the leaves.
Don’t Wait for the Ban
The best time to install a water butt is before you need it. Once a ban is announced, demand spikes and stocks sell out fast. Installing now means you’ll have a full butt ready when the next dry spell hits.
With a water butt and a watering can, a hosepipe ban is little more than an inconvenience.