North-west England in drought due to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers
The north west of England is now in drought due to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers following one of the driest springs on record.
The Environment Agency (EA) said Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, and Cumbria and Lancashire, have moved from 'prolonged dry weather' to 'drought' status.
Despite recent rain, water levels in the region remain low, the Environment Agency said, although no other areas of the country are in drought.
A spokesperson 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 also said hosepipe bans were a matter for water companies but they were expected to follow their drought plans, taking appropriate steps to reduce demand and leakage, to ensure more water is left in the environment for farmers and wildlife.
The EA said it continued to regulate the region's water company, United Utilities, to operate within their agreed action plan to make use of available water while protecting the environment.
Officials warned that periods of dry weather could have consequences for wildlife, including killing fish, more algal blooms and low rivers preventing species from moving up or downstream, as well as limiting water resources for those who need them.
A United Utilities spokesperson 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 and 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.'
Want more on the issues effecting the North? Our podcast, From the North answers the questions that matter to our region.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Telegraph
Take shorter showers, says boss at crisis-hit Thames Water
A boss at crisis-hit Thames Water has asked customers to take shorter showers. The UK's biggest water company, which is teetering on the brink of collapse, has also urged people to turn off the tap when brushing their teeth, reduce laundry loads and fix leaking lavatories. The advice is intended to help conserve water as England faces a summer drought after the driest spring since the reign of Queen Victoria. Andrew Tucker, the firm's water demand reduction manager, told the BBC: 'A couple of minutes off your shower could save a huge amount. 'The south east of England gets less annual average rainfall than Sydney, Rome and Lisbon and is feeling the impact of climate change and extreme weather events. 'The UK faces a shortage of water in 25 years and, whilst people are aware, behavioural change isn't coming through yet, as our latest data shows. Being water efficient is very easy – it's the simple things that make a difference.' Regions in drought status England has experienced its driest March, April and May since 1893. Five regions across the North were moved to drought status by the Environment Agency because reservoirs and rivers are at such low levels. A survey by Thames Water of 2,000 adults in its network area, conducted by Opinion Matters, found that the average person spends about eight minutes in the shower. The company said a person who shaved two minutes off their shower time could save £73 on water and energy bills a year and around 20 litres of water per person every day. The survey also found that 42 per cent of people say they keep the tap running while they brush their teeth. A running basin tap can use six litres of water a minute and people who turn off the tap 10 seconds sooner save over half a litre, the firm said. It also said that on average leaking lavatories on average waste 200-400 litres of water a day, and that doing two less weekly washes can save a person £46 on their water and energy bills. The advice comes as the utility giant struggles under a £20 billion debt pile and faces the risk of collapse into a government-supervised administration. The firm's attempt to secure its future suffered a major blow this week after a potential rescue deal collapsed. On Tuesday, the private equity firm KKR abandoned plans for a £4 billion bailout following a row over fines and executive bonuses. The firm was also hit with a record £123 million fine last week by Ofwat, the water industry regulator, for breaching rules over sewage spills and shareholder payouts.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Thames Water urges customers to have shorter showers
A water firm has advised its customers to have shorter showers after England experienced the driest spring since Water, which serves about 16 million customers across central and southern England, has offered tips on how people can conserve water after the Environment Agency (EA) warned of a "medium" risk of summer droughtAndrew Tucker, the firm's water demand reduction manager, said: "A couple of minutes off your shower could save a huge amount."He said there was a focus on encouraging reducing shower time as it was "on average the biggest water user in the house". "We want everyone to be efficient with water every single day of the year, irrespective of the weather - but we've had an incredibly dry spring," Mr Tucker said it meant it would be "a more challenging start to the summer period when we know water demand will be higher".The firm is not planning a hosepipe ban or any restrictions on use, Mr Tucker said, but he added: "Mother Nature can be a little unpredictable."The other ways the firm is asking people to reduce their water use includes turning off the tap when brushing their teeth, reducing laundry loads and fixing leaking toilets. The EA has convened a national drought group to discuss the latest outlook and to hear from water companies about steps they are taking to prepare for the summer. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Reservoir levels across England drop to new lows after driest spring since 1893
Reservoir levels across England have fallen to new lows as swathes of the country struggle in the wake of its driest spring since the 1890s, officials have said. Drought has already been declared in north-west England, and four other areas – the North East, Yorkshire, East and West Midlands – are also experiencing prolonged dry weather, the Environment Agency said as it held its latest national drought group meeting of officials and key players. While Youlgrave Waterworks, a private firm which supplies 500 homes in Derbyshire, became the first to introduce a hosepipe ban at the start of June, major water companies say they have no current plans to bring in bans but are keeping it under review. But the national drought group, which met on Thursday morning, heard that without further substantial rain some water companies may need to implement drought measures this summer to conserve supplies. Last month Thames Water executives said they were 'not confident' they could avoid bringing in restrictions for their 16 million customers this summer, as it would depend on how much rainfall the region received in the coming weeks. England has only seen 57% of the long-term average May rainfall, although recent rain at the end of May and the start of June is helping to stabilise the situation, the Environment Agency said. But reservoirs across England are now only 77% full, down from 84% a month ago, and well below the 85% levels at the end of May in the drought year of 2022, figures show. The average figure for reservoir levels at the end of May is 93%. And Met Office chief meteorologist Dr Will Lang warned that while the 'much-needed rainfall' at the beginning of June would continue in the coming days, drier conditions could return from the middle of the month. 'After the driest spring for more than a century across England, the start of June has brought some much-needed rainfall with a mix of Atlantic weather systems interspersed with drier and sunnier periods expected to continue over the coming days. 'Most areas will experience showers at times with some seeing longer spells of rain. 'From mid-June onwards, the forecast becomes less clear with signs of drier conditions becoming more dominant across southern England.' And he said: 'Looking further ahead, the chance of a hot summer is higher than normal with an associated increased risk of heatwaves and related impacts,' though he added the chances of a wetter or drier than average summer remained in the balance. Experts warn that increasingly extreme weather, including droughts and heatwaves, are becoming more likely and intense because of climate change. Analysis from think tank the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) warns that farmers face another terrible harvest after the extremely dry conditions, though weather in the coming weeks could determine how poor it is. The Environment Agency said it had stepped up its operational response to the dry conditions, carrying out more compliance checks on businesses such as manufacturers who abstract water from the environment and increasing monitoring of river and groundwater levels. Water companies are under pressure to help customers cut demand and speed up the fixing of leaks, which lose drinking water back into the environment before it reaches people's kitchens and bathrooms. United Utilities, which supplies water in the drought-hit North West, has increased the rate of finding and fixing leaks by 70% after a 'strong response' from the community in spotting leaks during the dry weather, the drought group heard. The national drought group, which includes ministers and officials, water companies and organisations such as the National Farmers' Union, will now meet monthly through the summer to monitor the situation. Helen Wakeham, EA director of water and National Drought Group chairwoman, said: 'It's been the driest spring since 1893, and we need to be prepared for more summer droughts as our climate changes. 'The recent rainfall is having a positive effect, but it hasn't been enough to stop a drought in the North West and we must ensure we have enough water to last the entire summer. 'We are working with water companies, farmers and other abstractors to help them plan their water usage over the summer and urge people to be mindful about their daily use.' Water minister Emma Hardy warned 'we face a water shortage in the next decade' and said the drought meeting had been convened to make sure water companies were acting to conserve the 'precious resource' in line with drought plans.
