Megan Geall
Hosepipe bans have been put in place across parts of the UK with Thames Water being the latest provider to announce restrictions. A long dry spell over the summer has left the country struggling and now water providers are having to act to preserve water supplies.
Summer 2022 has seen the UK reach the highest temperatures ever recorded in the country. Last month, thermometers hit 40.3C in Lincolnshire, while 33 other locations across the country surpassed the previous record of 38.7C, set in 2019.
“the country has seen the driest start to the year in England since 1976”
Hosepipe bans have begun to be put in place after the National Drought Group announced that all of London is in drought due to the extended dry period. With heat warnings urging people to stay inside, the country has seen the driest start to the year in England since 1976. While the Environment Agency has assured that essential water supplies are safe, a drought allows water companies to announce certain measures in order to conserve these supplies.
What are hosepipe bans?
There are no set rules for hosepipe bans as they vary between water providers, however general rules usually state that people are simply not allowed to use their hosepipes for any purpose. This includes:
- Watering the garden
- Filling a pool
- Cleaning the car
- Filling a pond
- Cleaning windows
Of course, there are some exceptions to these rules—in particular for businesses or for medical purposes—so you should always check the rules that your provider has put in place.
Hosepipe bans usually come with a range of suggestions to save water elsewhere, such as taking shorter showers and fully loading appliances like the dishwasher before starting a cycle.
Will the ban affect me?
Currently, six water providers have announced bans and urged customers to restrict their water usage. Other water companies across the UK are currently monitoring the water level situation closely, so the situation may change.
“those found to breach the rules could be fined up to £1000”
At the time of writing, these hosepipe bans have been announced in England and Wales:
- Southern Water: a ban in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on 5 August
- South East Water: a ban in Kent and parts of Sussex on 12 August
- Welsh Water: a ban in Pembrokeshire and part of Carmarthenshire on 19 August
- South West Water: a ban in Cornwall and parts of North Devon from 23 August
- Thames Water: a ban in parts of London and the South for 24 August
- Yorkshire Water: a ban for Yorkshire from 26 August
If you’re unsure who supplies your water and you want to check whether your postcode is under a hosepipe ban, please click here.
CEO of Thames Water, Sarah Bentley, claimed the ban had been a “very difficult decision” to make.
“After months of below average rainfall and the recent extreme temperatures in July and August, water resources in our region are depleted” Bentley stated. “Customer demand is at unprecedented levels and we now have to move into the next phase of our drought plan to conserve water, mitigate further risk and futureproof supplies.”
“[Thames Water] was labelled the worst for leaks out of all nine water companies in the UK”
Those found to breach the rules could be fined up to £1000 as part of Thames Water’s approach to tackling the drought issue. Other phases include fixing 1,100 leaks across its 20,000-mile network each week, with the firm admitting it “must do better” after it was labelled the worst for leaks out of all nine water companies in the UK.
Featured image courtesy of Mikes Photography on Pixabay. No changes were made to this image. Image license can be found here.
Megan Geall
Megan is a 23-year-old recent English and American Literature graduate and aspiring journalist. Her interests include food, fitness, lifestyle writing and dance!