Households urged to store hoses safely
to protect drinking water

Households are being urged to put their garden hosepipes away properly this autumn, with many hoses likely to be coiled up with water still inside after a summer of hosepipe bans.

WaterSafe Register is warning that water left sitting in a hosepipe can become a breeding ground for bacteria, including Legionella, particularly in warm conditions. If droplets from a contaminated hose are accidentally inhaled, they can lead to Legionnaires' disease, a rare but potentially serious form of pneumonia.

After this summer's hot, dry weather, water companies introduced hosepipe bans across large parts of England and in parts of Wales, while others asked customers to cut back on hosepipe and sprinkler use. Plenty of hoses have spent weeks unused as a result.

There is also a risk to the home's own supply. Hosepipes are often exposed to dirt and chemicals, and if an outdoor tap isn't protected against backflow, contaminated water can be drawn back into the drinking water plumbing.

Drinking water in the UK is among the safest in the world, with 99.97% of tests meeting strict standards, according to the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Last year, more than half of customer tap water samples in which bacteria were detected were linked directly to consumers’ distribution systems.

Jonathan Samuel, Director of WaterSafe Register, said: "A garden hose can quickly become a home for bacteria if we don't take steps to protect our plumbing.

"We're fortunate to have outstanding quality drinking water in the UK, but there is a real risk of contamination if we don't follow safe plumbing practices.

"Autumn is the perfect time to put your hose away properly, and to check your outdoor tap is protected against backflow. A few simple habits make a real difference."

Hosepipe safety advice

WaterSafe Register says most hosepipe-related risks can be reduced by following a few simple precautions.

Do:

• Turn off your outside tap and disconnect the hose

• Store hoses off the ground, somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.

Don't:

• Drink from it, or let children or pets drink from it

• Leave water sitting inside it

• Leave it in ponds, paddling pools, buckets or watering cans

• Leave it lying on the ground.

Before you use it again, flush it through with clean tap water and fit a self-closing control, such as a trigger spray gun, to avoid accidental use.

Find your local approved plumber on our online directory.