Drought Concessions Campaign for the Horticultural Industry

A conference call this morning involving key horticultural bodies saw them take a "united front" to tackle water companies as a collective force to campaign strongly for exemptions to allow landscapers, for instance, to have 28 days' grace to use hosepipes to water newly installed lawns and plants.

The Horticultural Association - HTA, British Association of Landscape Industries - BALI, The Royal Horticultural Society - RHS, The Society of Garden Designers - SGD, The Landscape Institute - LI and Turfgrass Growers Association - TGA, have united to try and persuade water companies to grant concessions to horticulture businesses so they can carry on trading during the drought.

BALI chairman Paul Cowell said: "The important thing is that we're all united on this so we can put together a united response and address the water companies nationally - not just in the seven regions that are bringing in restrictions."

BALI will meet Veolia today, which is one of its members. HTA will send a joint letter to Thames Water, which has a deadline for consultation today.

The bodies will call for concessions for newly laid turf and plants for 28 days, concessions for landscapers to be able to use hosepipes to water garden plants when done as a service to customers in the course of business. The concessions are consistent with those some water companies have granted to professional car washers and window cleaners.

Read more on Horticulture Week where this article came from - thank you Matthew Appleby