Hosepipe bans to last till 2023 despite storms

WE’VE all had a good soaking from the storms this week, meaning the baking summer is now but a distant memory.

But despite flooding and puddles on the ground, water companies warned yesterday that hosepipe bans will remain into the new year.

The country’s biggest supplier Thames Water has emailed its 15 million customers to say the edict is here to stay.

Bans also remain in place for customers of South East Water, Yorkshire Water, South West Water and Southern Water.

Under the restrictions, customers are banned from using a hosepipe to water gardens, wash cars, clean homes or – if they are wealthy – fill swimming pools. However, they are allowed to use tap water from a bucket or watering can.

They can also use water not sourced from taps. Breaking the ban can lead to a £1,000 fine.

Thames Water wrote to customers: ‘We’ve had a hosepipe ban in place for over two months now – so surely the recent heavy rain means we can remove it?

‘Unfortunately, that’s not the case just yet – and here’s why: To keep taps flowing, we rely on natural water sources that collect water deep below the surface. These sources refill when rain soaks down to them. But months of low rain mean the top soil is acting like a dry sponge, stopping moisture from reaching deep enough underground.’

It added: ‘New figures show we had 100mm (3.9ins) of rain in October, but only 6mm (0.2ins) of that will reach our sources.

We need many more weeks of above-average rain to help them recover.’ The company said: ‘Although we can’t lift our hosepipe ban just yet, saving water at home and work will help our sources recover sooner. That’s good for the environment and makes it less likely we’ll need restrictions next spring. And better yet, saving water can also help save you money.’

Thames Water faced fierce criticism over its ban after it emerged that it loses around a quarter of the 2.6billion litres it supplies each day through leaky pipes.

The firm introduced the ban – its first in 27 years – in August. Yorkshire Water also warned customers its ban could continue ‘well into’ 2023 if there is a dry winter.

The company said on its website: ‘Even though we have had some very welcome rain recently, we still need these temporary restrictions. We estimate some parts of our region need a good few weeks of rain before we can be confident we have the reservoir levels we need to see us through the autumn and winter.

‘The longer the rain continues, the sooner we will be able to relax the restrictions.’

Water UK, which represents the industry, said the bans were staying in place due to ‘unprecedented weather conditions in parts of the country, including the driest start to the year since 1976 and the driest July since the 1930s’.

The industry’s reputation has taken a battering after sewage spills into rivers and seas, pollution from water treatment works and poor environmental performance by some firms.

‘Soil acting like a dry sponge’