A WATER company that offers no dispensation to firms needing to work around the hosepipe ban in order to survive has been blasted by a businessman from Dunstable.
Mike Roberts, of Great Outdoors and In, has been told by Veolia that he will not be allowed to use water in its area for equipment that he says is essential for his business.
Veolia, which provides water for 420 square kilometres in the South East, is banning the use of hosepipes, whereas Anglian and Thames are not extending similar policies to commercial use.
Mr Roberts, of Oldhill, said that 95 per cent of his company’s work is exterior cleaning for domestic customers involving pressure washers and hosepipes.
He added: “I want to know why Veolia are the only suppliers not to allow companies like us to use the water we need.
“This will affect thousands of businesses in the area – you can’t even wash windows.”
Mr Roberts said his company even have the technology in place to recycle the water they use.
They plan to use special filtration units to vacuum water used to clean drains and re-use it at an 85 per cent recycle rate.
Mr Roberts said: “We’ve invested thousands of pounds on pumps and equipment to recycle and reuse water.
“If it’s raining when we’re cleaning we’ll be 100% self-sufficient.
“But we can’t do it, it’s banned. We’ve said we’ll recycle water anyway, it’s better for customers and everyone knows it’s good to recycle, but Veolia are not interested in the slightest.”
Veolia will announce on Friday (March 23) whether or not the planned restrictions will come into force next month.
Mr Roberts’ company is a small, family-run business consisting of four full-time and two part-time staff, and has been operating for more than 12 years.
But he says he will have to pack up his business and seek employment in his former profession of engineering if the decision is upheld.
He said: “We also do carpet cleaning, but nowhere near to the extent of our outdoor cleaning.”
A spokesman for Veolia told the Gazette that a cleaning business may not fill up a tank with a hosepipe for the use of outdoor cleaning, including windows, guttering and pavements.