WRONG TYPE OF RAIN!

Water firms say weekend downpours were TOO HEAVY – so millions more could still be hit by hosepipe bans

HOPES that the heavy downpours over the weekend could avert hosepipe bans were dashed yesterday when water companies said it was ‘the wrong type of rain’.

In fact, the bans could be extended across the country next month, according to minutes from a meeting of the little-known National Drought Group.

Only one company, United Utilities – which supplies 7 million people in North West England – has announced a ban, which begins next Sunday. Anyone flouting the restrictions can be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000.

Up to two inches of rain fell in South Wales in the 12 hours to yesterday lunchtime, but the prolonged downpours in the North West have made no difference to the looming ban because the rain was too heavy.

United Utilities said it needed lighter rain for a longer period of time to help water shortages – because much of the water in heavy downpours is evaporated as it lies on hard-baked ground.

A United Utilities spokesman said: ‘There’s no change to the hosepipe ban starting on Sunday. We’ve had downpours – but we need more prolonged and sustained, steady rain.

‘Heavy rain runs off the soil, with more of it evaporating in the summer, so we are left relying on the rain falling in the valleys where our reservoirs are.

‘We need weeks of sustained rainfall to get our reservoirs back to the position where we expect to be, following such a dry first half of the year.’

Met Office forecaster Helen Roberts added: ‘ After such a long dry spell, heavy bursts of rain do not soak into the soil. Lighter rain is better, as it soaks in more easily.’ The National Drought Group is run by the Environment Agency and brings together all the country’s water firms, along with the Canal and River Trust, National Farmers’ Union and other groups.

Minutes from last week’s meeting state that ‘ continued dry weather into autumn could see the risk of some further restrictions and further environmental impacts across the country’.

Despite heavy rain and galeforce winds over the weekend, warm weather is forecast to return by mid-week and continue over the next month for central and southern parts of Britain. Temperatures could be back above 30C (86F) by late this week.

The minutes state: ‘We are in a continuing period of prolonged hot and dry weather. June in 2018 was the driest June since 1925, with a rainfall total for England of only 15mm. One water company, United Utilities, has announced its intention to impose a hosepipe ban. The other water companies do not currently intend to introduce hosepipe bans... but continued dry weather into autumn could see the risk of some further restrictions.’

Some water reservoirs fell below 40 per cent of capacity during the long dry spell.

Water UK, representing the country’s privatised water firms, said there was no immediate prospect of further hosepipe bans, and the main problem had been treating water quickly enough to meet demand, rather than actual supply levels. It urged households to continue to use water carefully.