Latest news with #hosepipebans
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Climate
- Telegraph
Most of England facing hosepipe ban
Most of England is expected to face hosepipe bans this summer in a historic drought. The Environment Agency (EA) warned on Monday that swathes of the country, from Cumbria to the Isle of Wight, could have drought status declared by September. Such a scenario would be expected to leave tens of millions in the North, Midlands and central southern England with curbs on their water usage. The forecast came after Thames Water announced a temporary usage ban in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire, bringing the number of people in England under such restrictions to 7.5 million. It follows similar measures announced recently by South East Water and Yorkshire Water. The EA said the public should 'expect more' hosepipe bans as water companies respond to the predicted drought. Under its forecasts, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Lancashire, the Midlands, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will all be in drought by September. The rest of the country – with the only exceptions being Devon and Cornwall – will be in 'prolonged dry weather' status, the category below drought. 'That's our reasonable worst-case scenario,' said Richard Thompson, the quango 's deputy director for water resources. 'That's what we are planning towards. 'But we have also stress tested that against some more extreme scenarios. Under those circumstances, we might expect droughts to move faster. We could expect it to become more widespread.' Currently, three 'regions' of England are in drought: Cumbria and Lancashire; Yorkshire; and Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. Reservoir levels are now said to be very low across the North and Midlands following a succession of heatwaves and the driest first six months of the year in England since 1976. Dr Will Lang, the Met Office's chief meteorologist, said: 'Looking forward, if the dry weather was to continue through the rest of the summer, we do expect other companies to follow [suit] as they follow their dry plan. 'But it will be dependent on the rainfall and temperatures.' Is there a ban in your area? Select your provider to check That includes London, where Thames Water did not rule out introducing restrictions. Sources told The Telegraph that the company was keeping a 'close eye' on declining water levels in reservoirs which supply the capital, where stocks are currently 'slightly below average'. That is only marginally better than the 'below average' levels of the Farmoor Reservoir, which prompted the hosepipe ban in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. The Environment Agency also warned that farmers were facing a 'deteriorating' situation. It said the dry spring had forced them to start irrigating fields earlier than usual and reservoirs were now 'low in some areas', adding that it could lead to 'poor crop quality', 'lower yields' and reduced 'winter feed supplies'. The agency also confirmed that farmers in East Anglia and Yorkshire were being banned from watering their crops in an attempt to preserve water supplies. Abstraction bans, known as Section 57 restrictions, are imposed by the Environment Agency during times when severe drought coincides with irrigation periods. On Saturday, Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers' Union, said that the bans were ' risking food production '.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Midlands now in drought as millions more brace for hosepipe bans
The Environment Agency has warned that millions more people across England are expected to enter " drought" status this summer. Drought has been officially declared in the West and East Midlands, adding to three other UK areas already experiencing such conditions. More hosepipe bans are anticipated across the UK following the driest spring in over 50 years, with Thames Water 's ban commencing next Tuesday. Farmers are facing significant challenges due to the dry conditions, including low irrigation reservoir levels, poor crop quality, and reduced livestock yields. The Met Office forecasts changeable weather for July, with a likely near-average rainfall for the UK in the longer term, offering some potential relief. Drought declared in the Midlands with more hosepipe bans on the way
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Map shows areas at risk of hosepipe ban as two new areas declared in drought
A official drought has been declared in both the West Midlands and the East Midlands. The Environment Agency (EA) made the announcement on Tuesday following a meeting of its National Drought Group. It means there are now five areas of England which have drought status, with the EA warning that three more could follow along with fresh hosepipe bans. The two areas of the Midlands join three other regions that were already in drought status - Cumbria and Lancashire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, and Merseyside and Cheshire. The EA has warned that three more areas - Thames Wessex, parts of the Solent and South Downs, and parts of East Anglia and Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire - could also be in drought by September if the country gets 80% of its long-term average rainfall and warm temperatures in the coming weeks. Three separate water companies have issued hosepipe bans - impacting 7.7 million people - following a summer of record-breaking dry weather. While drought status is decided by the EA, hosepipe bans are introduced by individual water companies, and three - Yorkshire Water, South East Water and Thames Water - have already announced restrictions. Yorkshire Water's ban, affecting 5.2 million people, is already in place, while South East Water's, affecting 1.4 million in Kent and Sussex, comes into force on Friday 18 July, and the Thames Water restrictions, impacting 1.1 million people in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire, begin on Tuesday 22 July. Thames Water announced its hosepipe or temporary use ban (TUB) after the EA places much of its area in its "prolonged dry weather" category, one away from drought status. The EA said it expects more water companies to follow with their own TUBs, although it will be dependent on rainfall and temperatures in the weeks ahead. Five areas are now in drought, according to the EA - Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, Greater Merseyside and Cheshire, the East Midlands, and the West Midlands. The EA has warned that three more areas could also be in drought status by September if rainfall remains low and temperatures remain high. These areas are Thames Wessex, parts of the Solent and South Downs, and parts of East Anglia and Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. The EA has also placed a number of areas in the "prolonged dry weather" category, characterised as the early stages of drought where dry weather is affecting river flows, groundwater levels and storage in reservoirs. So far, this includes areas such as the North East, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire and the Thames area. So far, hosepipe bans have been introduced by Yorkshire Water, South East Water and Thames Water, with about 7.7 million people affected, but where could be next? Last Friday, Cambridge Water - which is part of South Staffs Water - warned that it may have to introduce a hosepipe ban after the area's driest June since the famously hot summer of 1976. It said: "We are doing all we can to prevent any temporary usage restrictions, but this may be a possibility if demand does not drop, in order for us to continue to deliver a sustainable supply." Thames Water has so far ruled out bringing in a ban for those in the London area, but it did ask all of its customers "to be mindful of their water use". In the North West, water company United Utilities said on 8 July it had no plans to bring in a hosepipe ban, even thought some of its regions are in drought status. However, water levels in its reservoirs are at 65%, well below the average of 77.1% and last summer's level of 82.1%. In the North East, supplier Northumbrian Water said in June that all three of its reservoir groups were at "below average" levels, with Weardale reservoirs just 62% full. Severn Trent covers the Midlands and urged its customers to be "mindful of their water use" as a number of its reservoirs are at just above 50% storage capacity, although the overall average for its reservoirs is 71%. However, Severn Trent has not had a hosepipe ban since 1995, and said earlier this summer it is confident it won't need one this year. Anglian Water, which covers the East of England, said on 14 July it was "continuing to monitor the situation closely and we will take further steps to protect the environment if they are required". It said five of its six reservoirs are currently at "below average" storage. Hosepipe bans are officially known as temporary use bans, or TUBs – the rules of which are set out in the Water Industry Act 1991. A TUB prohibits people from using a hosepipe that is connected to their mains water supply. There are a number of activities which are banned as a result. These include: Watering a garden using a hosepipe, which includes a park, a lawn, a grass verge, an area used for sport, an allotment or any other green space Cleaning your car with a hosepipe Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises Washing a private boat using a hosepipe Filling a domestic swimming pool or paddling pool Drawing water using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use Filling or maintaining a domestic pond Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain with a hosepipe The purpose of TUBs is to reduce demand for water when supplies are low, with the EA saying they can reduce the amount of water that companies put in their distribution network by 3% to 5%. Customers who ignore a hosepipe ban could face fines of up to £1,000, but Yorkshire Water said 'we hope it won't come to that' as it urged households to stick to the restrictions. People can still wash their car and water their gardens using tap water from a bucket or watering can, while businesses will be allowed to use a hosepipe if it is directly related to an essential commercial purpose (but not for something like cleaning paths outside a property). TUBs do not apply to customers on water companies' Priority Services Register, which includes those living with a chronic or serious illness, dementia, mobility constraints or those who are blind. Customers who have medical equipment such as a stair lift, hoist or electric bed, heart or lung ventilator are also exempt from the hosepipe ban. Customers who are registered disabled or are blue badge holders do not have to adhere to the TUB.
The Independent
19 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Drought declared in the Midlands with more hosepipe bans on the way
Drought has been declared in the West and East Midlands and more hosepipe bans are expected to be introduced after one of the UK's driest springs on record. The Environment Agency has warned millions more people are expected to enter 'drought' status this summer after the National Drought Group – a coalition of sector leaders and officials – met on Tuesday. The watchdog said a drought has been declared in West and East Midlands. Thames Wessex, parts of the Solent and South Downs, parts of East Anglia and Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire are likely to be in drought in the next few months. West and East Midlands will join the three areas of the UK - Cumbria and Lancashire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire – which are already in drought. The conditions have prompted three water companies in these areas to announce hosepipe bans following on from what the Met Office said was the UK's driest spring for more than 50 years. The Environment Agency said it expects to see other companies follow with their own hosepipe bans as they stick to their drought plans, although this will also be dependent on the rainfall and temperatures in the coming weeks. If England gets 80% per cent of its long-term average rainfall and warm temperatures over the coming weeks, the total number of areas given 'drought' status could reach eight by September, the watchdog forecasted. To prepare for and tackle the impacts, the Environment Agency said it has been working closely with water companies, which are following their drought plans to ensure supply, as well as the National Farmers' Union and local authorities. It comes after Thames Water became the latest utility to announce a hosepipe ban, which will begin next Tuesday for customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire and some parts of Berkshire. Stuart Sampson, drought manager at the Environment Agency, said the situation for farmers has been 'deteriorating' with already low levels in irrigation reservoirs prompting concerns for the rest of the summer. Some farmers have been reporting poor crop quality as well as lower yields on livestock, while fears are growing over the impact that conditions could have on winter feed. While the Environment Agency is planning for its reasonable worst case scenario, Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office said July is likely to see more changeable weather, with sporadic rainfall and some hot spells. And for the longer-term outlook, Mr Lang said there is 'no strong signal' for it being very dry or extremely wet. 'It could go either way, but the most likely situation is that we will have somewhere near average rainfall for the UK and also for England and Wales as a whole,' he said.
The Independent
21 hours ago
- Climate
- The Independent
These are the UK areas where a new hosepipe ban is predicted by September
England faces the prospect of widespread drought conditions by September, the Environment Agency has warned. It said up to five additional regions could potentially be declared drought zones in the next few months, leading to more hosepipe bans. This stark forecast comes as the National Drought Group, a coalition of sector leaders and officials, prepares to meet on Tuesday to discuss the escalating situation. Currently, three areas – Cumbria and Lancashire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, and Merseyside and Cheshire – are already experiencing drought, with three water companies having already implemented hosepipe bans following one of the UK's driest springs on record. Under the Environment Agency 's "reasonable worst-case scenario," millions more people across the Midlands and central southern regions could face these restrictions this year. The watchdog predicts that if England receives only 80 per cent of its long-term average rainfall alongside warm temperatures in the coming weeks, the total number of areas designated as "drought" status could reach eight by the end of summer. This scenario would see the West Midlands, East Midlands, Thames Wessex, parts of the Solent and South Downs, parts of East Anglia, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire also entering drought conditions. To prepare for and tackle the impacts, the Environment Agency said it has been working closely with water companies, which are following their drought plans to ensure supply, as well as the National Farmers' Union and local authorities. In a briefing to reporters on Monday, Richard Thompson, water resources deputy director of the watchdog, said: 'We certainly expect more regions to enter drought status. 'We'll be announcing that at the National Drought group tomorrow. That could extend further, depending under a reasonable worst case scenario. 'Obviously, if we were to get average rainfall or above, it might slow down the rate in which new parts of the country enter official drought status, but we do expect more.' Mr Thompson said the watchdog is planning towards its reasonable worst case scenario but has also 'stress tested' these preparations against some more extreme scenarios where hot and dry conditions could push even more areas into drought, and faster. 'We continue to respond to the current situation, but also to prepare for all eventualities,' he said. It comes after Thames Water became the latest utility to announce a hosepipe ban, which will begin next Tuesday for customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire and some parts of Berkshire. The water company said the measure will be brought in after the Environment Agency placed its area into the 'prolonged dry weather category'. The Environment Agency said it expects to see other companies follow with their own hosepipe bans as they stick to their drought plans, although this will also be dependent on the rainfall and temperatures in the coming weeks. Scientists said the recent extreme conditions have been made more likely due to human-caused climate change, bringing wide-ranging impacts on farmers and the environment. Stuart Sampson, drought manager at the Environment Agency, said the situation for farmers has been 'deteriorating' with already low levels in irrigation reservoirs prompting concerns for the rest of the summer. Some farmers have been reporting poor crop quality as well as lower yields on livestock, while fears are growing over the impact that conditions could have on winter feed. Anger is growing among farmers in East Anglia, who face an abstraction ban preventing them from irrigating crops due to low river levels, while a hosepipe ban has not been put in place. The Environment Agency said it has carried out fish rescues as the higher temperatures cause fish die-offs, as well as blue-green algae blooms in waterways, which can be harmful to ecosystems, pets and people using the water. Meanwhile, canal and river trusts have reported restrictions and closures, caused by the low levels in reservoirs that supply the networks. 'These are in a worse position than in any other droughts over the past 20 years,' Mr Sampson said. While the Environment Agency is planning for its reasonable worst case scenario, Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office said July is likely to see more changeable weather, with sporadic rainfall and some hot spells. And for the longer-term outlook, Mr Lang said there is 'no strong signal' for it being very dry or extremely wet. 'It could go either way, but the most likely situation is that we will have somewhere near average rainfall for the UK and also for England and Wales as a whole,' he said. Asked how this year compares with the famous drought year of 1976 and the record temperatures of 2022, Mr Sampson said the Environment Agency is not expecting to see the same level of impact. He said this is because the county is better prepared now than in 1976, which was also preceded by a dry winter and previous summer, unlike the weather seen in 2024. Meanwhile, the extreme heat in 2022 brought on a 'flash drought' that saw drought conditions occurring 'really, really quickly', he added. On wildfires, Mr Thompson said the watchdog is aware reports have been increasing and is working closely with local authorities to ensure emergency services are ready to respond. 'We haven't had any widespread reports so far,' he said, but added that the south and east of the country are more likely to see wildfires if more are to happen.
