Dry spell not a problem for Severn Trent
WATER supplies for Leicestershire remain strong despite national concerns of a summer drought.
Following the driest winter in more than 20 years, many reservoirs across the country are low and some rivers have dried up entirely.
Yet the latest storage figures from Severn Trent show Cropston reservoir at 69.5 per cent capacity and Swithland reservoir at 50.5 per cent.
A spokesperson for Severn Trent said: “Our water resources are in the best possible position at the moment, and we don’t currently expect any restrictions at all this summer.
“We have really good plans in place for how to manage a drop in water levels if that happens.”
The group added: “We are asking our customers not to be complacent and to think about being ‘water wise’ in whatever they do.
“With weather patterns the way they are lately, we never know what’s around the corner.”
April 2017 was the tenth driest on record, with the UK getting just 47 per cent of the average rainfall for the month.
Rainfall for the region varied between ‘below normal’ and ‘notably low’.
Temperatures for the UK were also higher than the average, by 0.6C.
This followed a sixmonth period between October and March which was the driest since 1995 and 1996, according to the Met Office.
Only five named storms affected the UK last autumn and winter, compared with 11 in the previ- ous year.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Following a dry winter, some rivers, groundwaters and reservoirs are lower than normal for the time of year.
“We always advise that everyone uses water wisely, especially during a period of dry weather - and to follow the advice of their water company should water saving measures be required.”
The worst summer to affect Hinckley was in 1976, when a number of reservoirs around Hinckley were depleted.