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DORSET Council has been lambasted for its ‘terribly poor judgement’ after a field in Verwood was sprayed with a sprinkler.
As calls for a garden hose ban grow louder amid the increasingly long spell of dry and hot weather, a small patch of grass in Potterne Park, near Verwood Road, has sprinklers coming from the network in the ground watering the grass.
One resident said it is “ridiculous” that the grass is being watered at a time when water supplies are scarce.
Potterne Park has been watered by the council, but some plots remain dead
John Adam said: ‘The fact that we have an impending drought looming makes it ridiculous for Dorset Council to run these sprinklers on a small patch of grass.
“We’re told to take short showers and use water wisely, but the council doesn’t do that by hosing down a small patch of grass.
“It’s really bad judgment on their part. We all have to make small sacrifices. It’s crazy.
“I walk my dog in the morning and see the sprinklers on, then again at eight o’clock at night and it’s still on.”
Read more: Red alert on fire severity for Dorset due to wildfire risk
Sprinklers in the field try to bring the grass back to life
Although there is no garden hose ban in place in Dorset, Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water have encouraged customers to use water ‘responsibly’ as an amber heat warning and an amber extreme heat warning were both issued.
A spokesman for Dorset Council said sprinklers are being moved around the pitch to maintain the grass, despite footage showing most of the grass is dead.
The spokesman added: “Potterne Park sprinklers are being moved to different parts of the playing fields where they are needed, such as the goal mouths which have recently been re-seeded ahead of the football season, and the cricket wicket as the club is currently in mid-throughout their season.
Read more: Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water over hosepipe ban appeals
Potterne Park has been watered by the council, but some plots remain dead
“Failing to effectively water surfaces used by local sports clubs can render them unplayable until the weather conditions change.
“If a garden hose ban is introduced in Dorset, we will obviously change our practices accordingly, but we will need to closely monitor the condition of certain areas of the park until the weather improves.”
We asked Bournemouth Water if councils should water fields when the country faces a water shortage. A spokesperson said: ‘We ask everyone to think carefully about their water consumption and avoid non-essential water use.
