Hosepipe ban warning as five English counties in drought
A hosepipe ban is looming after Britain's driest spring in 69 years has left five countries in drought status, an expert has warned.
The Environment Agency (EA) said on Thursday that Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, and Lancashire had moved from 'prolonged dry weather' to 'drought' status with reservoirs and rivers at low levels.
And Dr Jess Neumann, the associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, is warning the decision to put the north west of England in an official drought status was a sure sign of a looming ban on watering gardens.
She said: 'Putting the North West into a drought status tells the water company they need to start putting into place their drought action plan.
'That will include telling people to use their water in a more conservative way, to be mindful. A hosepipe ban is certainly possible, that is the way it is looking.'
Curbs on showers and laundry advised
She added that without 'steady, constant rainfall for a good couple of months' a hosepipe ban is 'certainly on the horizon'.
United Utilities, the region's water company, has urged people to shower for a minute less and to avoid washing so many clothes.
A spokesman said: 'Taking just one minute less in the shower will save 12 litres and one fewer load of washing will save around 40 litres.'
The North West has had its driest start to a calendar year since 1929, while the country as a whole has had its driest February to April period since 1956.
Despite recent rain, reservoir and river levels in the region remain badly hit, the Environment Agency said.
A spokesman said: 'The north west of England has entered drought status due to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers.
'No other areas in England are in drought and we continue to monitor the situation closely.'
The agency said hosepipe bans were a matter for water companies, which must take appropriate steps to reduce demand and leakage, and to ensure enough water is left in the environment for farmers and wildlife.
Officials have warned that long periods of dry weather could have consequences for wildlife, including killing fish, more algal blooms in waterways, and species being prevented from moving up or downstream because of low river levels.
A United Utilities spokesman said: 'We are grateful for the support of customers as we've seen demand reduce thanks to their efforts in saving water where they can, combined with more recent rainfall and cooler temperatures.
'Reservoirs, however, are still lower than we'd expect at this time of year, and so we're continuing to move water around our integrated network to get it to where it is needed, as well as bringing extra water into the system from other sources around the region.
'Leakage is at its lowest level and we're repairing record volumes, with customers supporting us by reporting more leaks. We'd ask that they continue to do that as well as doing all they can to save and recycle water, to help protect their local environment.'
Minister: Reservoir investment is vital
Meanwhile, the water minister has warned Britain could face ' rationing like in the Mediterranean ' without new reservoirs.
Emma Hardy suggested water shortages could hit households and businesses in the next decade if the Government fails to build new artificial lakes.
She unveiled plans to speed up the planning approvals process by giving ministers instead of local councils the final say on whether projects can go ahead.
Asked about the reservoir projects' impact on water bills, Ms Hardy said the £104 billion was 'private investment', adding that 'bills have already increased'.
She told Times Radio: 'I can completely understand why people are furious and angry about that, because it's like with any issue that you find – if you fix a problem when you first notice it, it doesn't cost you as much as if you leave it to get worse and worse and then you try and fix it. that's what we've had under the Conservatives – they left the problems to get worse and worse.'
Water companies in England have committed to bringing new reservoirs online by 2050 in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex and the West Midlands, with the potential to supply 670 million litres of extra water per day.
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