A hosepipe ban is due to come into force in some parts of the North of England following a prolonged spell of warm weather and scarce rainfall. But despite yet another heatwave predicted in the coming weeks, London has so far evaded calls for a hosepipe ban.
Yorkshire Water has declared a temporary hosepipe ban starting on July 11, attributing the decision to the “alarming” ongoing dry conditions that have led to ‘low stocks’ in the reservoir. The water levels in Yorkshire’s reservoirs are currently at 55.8 per cent, which is 26.1 per cent below the average for this time of year.
This measure follows the Environment Agency’s drought declaration for Yorkshire in June, with predictions of an even hotter summer to come, reports Yorkshire Live.
What’s the point of a hosepipe ban?
Hosepipe bans are introduced when water reservoirs reach lower than average levels, usually owing to unusually warm, dry weather conditions with a lack of rainfall. The bans aim to preserve water, so that vital needs such as drinking, cooking and washing can be met.
The bans also ensure more water is left in the environment, which is good for wildlife which also relies on the water source.
Dave Kaye, Yorkshire Water’s director of water, commented: “We need to take action now to help conserve water and protect Yorkshire’s environment. That means from Friday this week, people across Yorkshire will need to stop using their hosepipes to water their gardens, wash their cars or for any other activities.”
He added: “Introducing these restrictions is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we’ve been doing everything we can to avoid having to put them in place. We’re grateful to our customers, who have been saving water where they can this year already. It is really important that we all continue to do so.”
Restrictions
While the temporary restrictions are in place, certain activities are not permitted:
- Watering a garden with a hosepipe
- Cleaning private vehicles or boats using a hosepipe
- Using a hosepipe to water plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises
- Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming, paddling pool, hot tub or cold-water plunge pool with a hosepipe
- Using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use
- Filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain using a hosepipe
- Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe
- Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
- Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe
What people can do
Despite these restrictions, there are still a few things residents can do:
- Wash their car and water their gardens without using a hosepipe if they use tap water from a bucket or watering can
- Use water that is not sourced from taps such as grey water, rainwater from a water butt, or a private borehole.
Exceptions
Mr Kaye further explained: “These restrictions are intended to make sure that we have enough supply for the essential needs of people across the region this year and next, as well as making sure we’re able to protect our local environment. With more dry weather forecast in the coming weeks, it is likely our stocks will continue to fall so we need to act now to maintain clean water supplies and long-term river health.”
He added: “Having restrictions in place also allows us to apply for drought permits from the Environment Agency, which means we can abstract more water from our rivers and reduce compensation flows out of our reservoirs so that we can continue to provide the water our customers rely on us for. The restrictions will come into effect on 11 July and will be in place until the region has seen significant rainfall to bring reservoirs and groundwater stocks back to where they need to be. This may last into the winter months, but we will lift the usage restrictions as soon as we are able.”
Will there be a hosepipe ban in London?
At the moment Thames Water have not announced a hosepipe ban, but the water company is ‘considering’ the measure, according to BBC News.
The company reported “seeing increasing customer demand across large parts of the Thames Valley” and has advised customers to “use water wisely”. Thames water further warned that they would be introducing “usage restrictions” unless “the situation changes significantly”.
Thames water also said it is ‘closely monitoring’ the situation. To find out more, visit the Thames Water website here.
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