The British
Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) has proposed new measures to water
authorities operating throughout the UK which will ensure professional
landscapers continue to get access to water regardless of project and
client.
These proposed
measures include
- Offering recycled water to
landscape professionals where non-potable water can be used
- Working more closely with
manufacturers of landscaping and horticulture equipment which can help
save water
- Giving landscape
professionals the opportunity to apply to water companies to request an
exemption from temporary use bans for specific projects
BALI’s Technical
Officer (Policy & Research), Owen Baker recently attended a Water UK Dry
Weather Stakeholder Workshop alongside water suppliers and trade associations
to better understand what professional users can expect in the future.
Water UK is a
national membership organisation that represent and work with the major water
and wastewater service providers in Britain.
With medium-range
forecasts suggesting that the hot and dry weather is expected to last until
mid-September, following weeks of heightened temperatures over 25oC, BALI has a responsibility to its
members and the industry to protect the needs of landscape professionals
undertaking commercial and domestic projects where water is essential for
establishment.
BALI is encouraging
water authorities to exclude commercial landscaping activities from all
temporary bans. BALI is currently in discussion with United Utilities, who
operate in the North West of England, to request that the company provide a
total exemption from its impending water ban for landscapers operating in the
region. BALI has also stressed that landscapers carry out at least 28 days of
watering for new lawns and up to 14 days for newly-bought plants, and that
availability to water must not be impeded.
Reflecting on the
current extreme weather conditions and his subsequent visit to Water UK, BALI’s
Owen Baker said “Two weeks ago the outlook for water resources was looking
positive.
"Despite an
unusually long period of warm, dry weather, I suspect we all assumed this
summer wouldn’t last for much longer, and our respective landscapes would be
watered. Besides, the UK received record-breaking levels of rainfall only a few
months earlier; surely this would have brimmed reservoirs and groundwater
storage facilities? Not the case. Water resources in some areas of the UK have
now fallen to levels which require preventative measures, including a temporary
use ban in the North West which will come into effect from 5th August.
“At BALI, we have an
obligation to our members to ensure we are protecting their requirements of
needing access to water regularly to help maintain the landscape. As a result,
we are working hard with water companies and trade bodies to define a new set of
guidelines for professional water users working on larger commercial sites and
domestic properties.”
