[alansavvi]

Does anyone know if they are going to ban wfp altogether or will it be on the same basis as the Sutton Water board?

[Paul Coleman]

Does anyone know if they are going to ban wfp altogether or will it be on the same basis as the Sutton Water board?

Thames Water used previous drought orders as a template - i.e. implementing it in phases.  A WFP ban would be phase 3 - the last bit before standpipes.
So far, only Sutton & East Surrey have activated any part of a drought order and they are at phase 1.

[steve m]

dont think it can be banned, cos:

1/ not connected to the mainb

2/ commercial user, they stop you working, you claim loss of earnings from them

 If they stopped you working  how many other trades or sevices would have to stop

[Paul Coleman]

dont think it can be banned, cos:

1/ not connected to the mainb

2/ commercial user, they stop you working, you claim loss of earnings from them

 If they stopped you working  how many other trades or sevices would have to stop

The way the drought orders are worded allow phase 1 to ban the cleaning of windows by hose, sprinkler or similar apparatus ONLY IF DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE MAINS.

However, phase 3 allows it to be banned even if NOT directly connected to mains.
There may well be a case for compensation but it would prove costly taking it to court and although the water companies have insufficient funds for fixing leaks etcx, they undoubtedly have plenty for paying solicitors.  I once said in a post that they should be sacked.  I've changed my mind.  They should be shot.

[steve m]

it also says that that is for a domestic user, we are commercial users

[Paul Coleman]

it also says that that is for a domestic user, we are commercial users

That's not how I remember it.  Could you provide a source for this please?

[steve m]

on the thames water sit ,it says that if a drought order is imposed you cannot clean the outside of buildings exept windows. Next paragraph states you cannot clean windows with a hosepipe, sprinkler or similar device thats connected to the mains.

  If you go to the FWC site, they had one of their "people" visit thames water and it was stated on their site that any commercial user NOT conncted to the mains is OK

[Paul Coleman]

on the thames water sit ,it says that if a drought order is imposed you cannot clean the outside of buildings exept windows. Next paragraph states you cannot clean windows with a hosepipe, sprinkler or similar device thats connected to the mains.

  If you go to the FWC site, they had one of their "people" visit thames water and it was stated on their site that any commercial user NOT conncted to the mains is OK

I think you will find that this applies to phase 1 of the drought order.  If the situation requires phase 3 eventually, it would even affect commercial window cleaners.

[chris@c.m.s]

Steve sorry but I was at the southern water drought order meeting with The Shiner and his is an acurate account of the of that meetiing.    

[steve m]

dunno, I just copied off of the web site straight onot this discussion, as far as the FWC sit goes I cant quite remember the actual wording , but that was the answer to all the questions asked. Whether or not the person answering got it wrong I dunno, but I hope not as a lot of people may have taken that as gospel

[JohnL]

I would have thought the ' commercial ' in this instance meant a professional window cleaner as opposed to any old joe public cleaning his own windows using a brush on a hose.

needs clarifying though because commercial versus domestic is how this is reading.

which leads to further thought.  will the H&S one day declare a difference between domestic and commercial for the safety regs for WFP users and how would they define commercial and domestic?

perhaps this should be another thread but I have a funny feeling that with the water shortage the H&S could feel a little put out that the 'push' to WFP may be backfiring with the water companies.

JohnL

[steve m]

I think it should have read "commercial user", or thats how I interpret it

[steve m]

just been on the FWC website and according to an e-mail sent to them from a jeremy downer on the 16th may, that as of 27/02/2006 as long as water is passed through a tank using a wfp IS allowed. But it also says that if the situation worsens this may be amended. So I think the best thing is to keep an eye out on the FWC site just in case

[Paul Coleman]

I would have thought the ' commercial ' in this instance meant a professional window cleaner as opposed to any old joe public cleaning his own windows using a brush on a hose.

<SNIP>

JohnL

This is why the distinction has been made between directly connected to the mains or NOT directly connected.  The water companies are aware that just about every household would only be able to hose down their windows directly from the mains whereas someone doing it from a tank of purified water would almost always be a business.  It's a way of restricting the numbers of people doing it.
I suppose they could have worded it that business users could do it and private householders not.  However, there would be a way around this in that two neighbours could have registered as window cleaning businesses, cleaned each others windows for maybe £1, and had no other customers.