Two men have driven 50 litres of 'legal hosepipe water' 51 miles from Brighton to London to highlight what they call unfair hosepipe bans imposed by water companies during a period of drought.
George Lazarides, 30, and Joe Pattern, 27, both from London, filled 25 two-litre bottles using a friend's hosepipe in Brighton on the night of August 10, then drove to the capital the following day. They set up outside Stockwell Tube station and Croxted Road Garden Centre in Herne Hill, handing out the water labelled 'legal hose pipe water' and offering water-saving tips to around 100 people.
Protest Against Unequal Bans
Around 10 million homes in London have been under a hosepipe ban since July 23, as the UK braces for its fifth heatwave of the year. Brighton is not currently subject to a ban, a discrepancy that George and Joe wanted to highlight.
George, who works in advertising, told Talk to the Press: 'We saw that in London there is a hosepipe ban and in Brighton there is not, but the whole county is drought-ridden.' He added: 'We wanted to make a point against the water companies on unfair bans and we also wanted to help Londoners and to try to ensure that they could look after their gardens and their green spaces properly. It was partly a joke and partly trying to be helpful.'
Public Response and Wider Impact
The pair received a positive reception, with George noting: 'We got a good response so we will definitely do it again. We knew that there was going to be another heatwave coming. And so we wanted to respond to that. When we spoke to people and gardeners, they were saying how frustrated they were with the hosepipe ban.'
Their action comes as nine water companies have imposed hosepipe bans across the UK, affecting nearly 26 million people. The restrictions prohibit using hosepipes for watering gardens or allotments, washing cars, filling paddling pools, or cleaning windows. Water companies say the bans are necessary to conserve water for drinking and essential use. Anyone breaching a hosepipe ban could face a fine of up to £1,000.
