No hosepipe ban expected – but use water wisely
SEVERN TRENT SAYS RESERVOIR RESERVES ‘IN A GOOD POSITION’
A HOSEPIPE ban is not on the horizon for Leicestershire as long as people use water wisely, Severn Trent says.
Reservoir levels have plummeted across the county in the hot weather, but the water company said it has enough reserves to cope.
Temperatures across Leicestershire are expected to stay above 30C for the next few days, after the driest July since 1911.
However, there is a prospect of rain next week, say forecasters.
Latest figures for the county show the Charnwood reservoirs just over half full (52 per cent), with Cropston 39 per cent full and Swithland at 67.1 per cent capacity.
Staunton, which also serves the county, is at 67.7 per cent.
Anglian Water, which operates Rutland Water, said its reservoirs are 81.6 per cent full.
It said overall reservoir and groundwater sources are “secure”, but river levels are below normal and there is potential for drought in parts of Lincolnshire and East Anglia.
Severn Trent said the region’s water network was in a good position, and as a result it was unlikely to issue its first hosepipe ban in 27 years.
Its Drought Action Plan is seeing it pump an extra 100 million litres of water into the network every day, a spokesman said.
But it said the public still needed to use water wisely.
Sophie Evans-Young, water efficiency manager at Severn Trent, said: “As the glorious summer sunshine continues, there’s naturally a greater demand for water, so our teams are working around the clock to keep the network in good shape. “Our region has experienced the driest July in a century and we’re asking people to be mindful of their water use, as small behavioural changes can add up to a big difference.”
The water company has issued three tips to have a waterefficient home over the next few days: Keep a jug of water in the fridge to drink when it is wanted, rather than running the tap until it is cold. Ask children to water the plants with leftover water from their paddling pool. This saves both money and water and is a fun activity for kids. Wait until the dishwasher or washing machine is full before using it.
(It’s) the driest July in a century and we’re asking people to be mindful of water use
Sophie Evans-Young