Current Hosepipe Bans in Wiltshire - Guidance for Cricket clubs

Firstly, Wiltshire Cricket hopes this message finds everyone well and we wanted to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to the grounds managers and volunteers across the county who are working through unprecedented conditions and doing an incredible job in continuing to provide pitches during this continued heatwave period.

We are aware that many parts of Wiltshire, particularly those in Thames Water areas, have been operating under a hosepipe ban for some time now but with the introduction of a further hosepipe ban, effective from yesterday (18^th August) from Wessex Water, we wanted to share the following links and information:

Information and FAQs relating to Wessex Water Hosepipe Ban

Information and FAQs relating to Thames Water Hosepipe Ban

What this means for Cricket Clubs?

Again, we are very aware that many clubs have been operating under a ban for some time now but for those in any doubt I wanted to confirm the following guidance from ECB:

• Watering of pitches (the square) in use is permitted under health and safety exemptions but to maintain this exemption requires a change in watering practice.  Clubs will not need to register for an exemption.
   
• Watering the outfield or practise areas with a hosepipe is not permitted during the ban.
   
• The ECB have standing advice on the GMA Toolkit that clubs will need to follow to comply with the ban, it’s available here:
  • Preparing Pitches Under Drought Restrictions - Grounds Management Association
  • Effective and efficient watering in hot, dry weather

Consider your neighbours:

Whilst an exemption is in place for watering of cricket squares, this might not be widely understood by any neighbours or local residents who oversee your cricket ground. Therefore, for the purposes of maintaining positive relationships with those neighbours you may want to consider notifying them of the exemption and assuring them that your cricket club is operating within the terms of the hosepipe ban for health and safety reasons.

In addition, you might want to consider some additional best practice, such as:

1. Water only where needed - When preparing pitches, apply water only to the areas where it is necessary. Avoid over-application, run off and unnecessary water loss. Where appropriate, use targeted or hand-watering techniques.
2. Water at cooler times - Where watering is permitted, consider irrigating in the evening or at cooler times of the day to reduce evaporation and allow water to infiltrate the ground overnight.
3. Use covers where available - If covers are available, clubs can use them to help retain moisture in the ground following permitted irrigation and reduce water losses through evaporation.
4. Conserve water in the clubhouse - Clubs should also help reduce water consumption by:
   1. Fixing leaks promptly.
   2. Turning off taps when they are not in use.
   3. Avoiding unnecessary water use.
   4. Keeping shower times to a minimum.
   5. Encouraging members and visitors to use water responsibly.