WATER butts are flying off the shop shelves. That can only mean one thing – the hosepipe ban is upon us.

From today, Colchester householders are not allowed to water their gardens with a hose.

If you do – and are caught – you potentially face a £1,000 fine.

That alone raises certain questions. Like how will the ban be policed?

Despite the emphasis on the ban being domestic, that has not stopped a number of organisations questioning if, and how, they will be affected.

And why us? A few miles away, in Tendring, there will be no hosepipe ban.

Colchester’s ban is being enforced by its water supplier, Anglian Water.

Spokesman John Clare explained: “We have had two dry winters and this is happening in the event of a third.

“There hasn’t been a hosepipe ban in any part of the Anglia region for 20 years and then it was in Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

“The fact we are adopting a hosepipe ban after so long does highlight how serious the situation is.”

Mr Clare warned using a hosepipe during the ban was a criminal offence. Yet he could not recall when anyone had been prosecuted for flouting such a ban, and admitted it was difficult to police.

However, he said staff would be out and about, carrying out their usual duties, reminding anyone of the ban if it was suspected they were breaching it.

Half of Colchester’s water supply comes from Ardleigh reservoir.

The rest comes from six storage reservoirs – fed by water underground – in Great Horkesley.

Tendring is served by Veolia Water East and its water comes from an aquifer, an underground reservoir. Veolia Water East does not feel the need to introduce a hosepipe ban, as there is a much lower population in Tendring of 156,000.

However, it is still taking precautions. For example, Beth Chatto Gardens, in Elmstead Market, within the Tendring district, has been asked to cut down its water use.

Nursery manager David Ward said it would do so by about 10 per cent.

He explained how the nursery coped during a drought.

“We are the lowest rainfall area in the whole of the country,” he said. “We get about 21 inches of rain a year on average. Miss Chatto measures it every week.

“We have very dry soil as well, so we have to find plants which are going to survive those conditions.”

Mr Ward said the nursery had a drought-resistant garden so it didn’t need to be artificially watered.

The plants come from arid areas around the world.

The hosepipe ban includes watering a garden or plants, cleaning a car, filling a swimming or paddling pool, filling a domestic pond or ornamental fountain, cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises and cleaning paths or patios.

It defines gardens as including parks, grass verges, an area of grass used for sport or recreation and allotments.

And that has caused some confusion.

Bob Penny, Colchester Council’s parks and recreation manager, said it was seeking clarification on whether plants in Castle Park could be watered.

“Anglian Water's website is a bit confusing. It clearly defines what gardens are, but it is saying anything other than non-domestic horticultural activity is exempt.

“We are going to ask them what they mean.”

The council has already spoken to Anglian Water, which has said it can extract limited amounts of water from the River Colne.

Even Leisure World, in Cowdray Avenue, could come in handy.

Mr Penny said: “Leisure World refreshes its water from the swimming pool on a regular basis. We have done an analysis of that, to see if it is possible for us to access that water and be able to use it on flower displays.”

The council’s floral displays in troughs and plants around the town can still be watered, as this is done so from a machine on the back of a truck.

Jane Rumble, treasurer and membership secretary of Colchester Allotment Association, said it wouldn’t be affected either.

“We haven’t got any taps on the sites to attach a hosepipe to,” she said.

“We have water troughs, which are fed from the mains, but have an open top so are topped up with rainwater. People fill up their watering cans from it.”

Even so, gardeners are ensuring they are well prepared.

Jacks Famous Supplies, in St Nicholas Street, Colchester, has been swamped with requests for water butts, as keen gardeners try to find ways to keep their lawns and flower beds watered.

Owner Dave Williams said he had a waiting list with 50 names.

More information can be found at www.anglianwater.co.uk