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| Changes to hosepipe bans unveiled | Changes to hosepipe bans unveiled |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Householders in England and Wales may be unable to wash windows during a drought under plans to tighten hosepipe bans to be announced by the government. | |
| The bans, which can be introduced by water firms, already cover washing cars and watering gardens with a hosepipe. | The bans, which can be introduced by water firms, already cover washing cars and watering gardens with a hosepipe. |
| From spring they could also forbid filling pools and cleaning patios - but school swimming pools and private pools for medical use would be exempt. | From spring they could also forbid filling pools and cleaning patios - but school swimming pools and private pools for medical use would be exempt. |
| Ministers are expected to say they are preparing for a possible drought. | Ministers are expected to say they are preparing for a possible drought. |
| The dry weather of 2005 and 2006 led to empty reservoirs and hosepipe bans that affected about 13 million people. | The dry weather of 2005 and 2006 led to empty reservoirs and hosepipe bans that affected about 13 million people. |
| The plain fact is we can no longer use drinking water for luxuries at times of crisis Phil Woolas | The plain fact is we can no longer use drinking water for luxuries at times of crisis Phil Woolas |
| The changes would give water companies powers to curtail domestic water use not covered in current laws introduced more than 50 years ago. | The changes would give water companies powers to curtail domestic water use not covered in current laws introduced more than 50 years ago. |
| Under the planned restrictions, a long list of water-related activities will be added to the list. | Under the planned restrictions, a long list of water-related activities will be added to the list. |
| The restrictions would reportedly cover cleaning a patio, filling pools or ornamental ponds, as well as using pressure hoses would be prohibited. | The restrictions would reportedly cover cleaning a patio, filling pools or ornamental ponds, as well as using pressure hoses would be prohibited. |
| Jacuzzis | Jacuzzis |
| However, watering registered collections of plants would also be among the non-essential uses of water permissible under the new restrictions. | However, watering registered collections of plants would also be among the non-essential uses of water permissible under the new restrictions. |
| Environment minister Phil Woolas told the Sunday Telegraph: "The plain fact is we can no longer use drinking water for luxuries at times of crisis. | Environment minister Phil Woolas told the Sunday Telegraph: "The plain fact is we can no longer use drinking water for luxuries at times of crisis. |
| "These new measures may seem harsh to some but future droughts, especially in southern England, are inevitable and we have to act.'' | "These new measures may seem harsh to some but future droughts, especially in southern England, are inevitable and we have to act.'' |
| He said the current drought order law, which was introduced in 1945, urgently needed updating because it was designed for a time when people did not have jacuzzis or hot tubs. | He said the current drought order law, which was introduced in 1945, urgently needed updating because it was designed for a time when people did not have jacuzzis or hot tubs. |