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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sammy Gecsoyler

‘People are scared their neighbours will call the police on them’: how the hosepipe ban got caught up in the culture wars

Illustration of a perplexed woman in her garden, surrounded by wilting plants and dead grass, while water pours out of the pavement drains
Gardeners bear the brunt of the ban – but are they really to blame? Illustration: Sean O'Brien/The Guardian

‘Plants are like your babies,” says Harry. And accordingly, he argues, most people would do anything to keep them alive, including break the law. This is what he plans to do this week – defying a hosepipe ban in place across large parts of England, to ensure his shrubs maintain a steady pulse.

He may not be alone. On Tuesday, Thames Water became the latest company to ban hosepipes – a restriction that will affect more than 10 million people. Since mid-July, Welsh Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water (serving Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey), Southern Water and Cambridge Water have all announced hosepipe bans. And earlier this week, South East Water extended its existing ban to cover an additional 1.5 million.

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