Drivers across Hampshire could face a £1,000 fine for washing their car with a hosepipe this summer after Southern Water introduced restrictions for around one million customers.
The hosepipe ban came into force on July 10 and applies to households supplied by Southern Water in Hampshire.
It means customers cannot use a hosepipe connected to mains water for non-essential tasks, including washing private vehicles, watering gardens or filling paddling pools.
For local motorists, the rules mean washing a car on the driveway with a hosepipe is no longer allowed while the ban remains in place.
Anyone who ignores a Temporary Use Ban can face a fine of up to £1,000.
But drivers do not have to leave their car dirty for the rest of summer.
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Hosepipe bans restrict the use of hosepipes connected to mains water, rather than banning car cleaning altogether.
That means motorists can still use a bucket, watering can, commercial car wash or collected rainwater, provided they follow Southern Water’s latest guidance.
Most people panic when a hosepipe ban is announced and assume they simply cannot wash their car at home," says Filipa Silva, cleaning expert at Nilfisk.
"But if you have a water butt and a pressure washer with a suction hose attachment, you are using rainwater you have already collected, with no mains connection at all.
"You still get a far better clean than a bucket and sponge could ever give you."
It is also worth noting that a pressure washer uses significantly less water than a standard hosepipe.
While a garden hosepipe can use large volumes of water during a single car wash, a pressure washer cleans using far less water by delivering water under pressure.
This not only reduces overall water usage but also helps remove road grime, dirt and debris more effectively than a standard hosepipe wash.
Drivers across Hampshire should check the latest Southern Water rules before cleaning their vehicle, as the detail of restrictions and exemptions can vary.
