No ban on hosepipes despite dry May

THERE are no plans for hosepipe bans despite some regions being on course for the driest May on record, according to the water industry trade body.

Just weeks after many parts of England and Wales were deluged with floodwater, the spring drought has seen gardens wilt, farmers fret over parched crops and reservoir levels drop.

The Environment Agency (EA) said yesterday that most water companies have “appropriate” reserves, and it stressed its calls for people to use water wisely should not deter anyone from regular hand-washing as part of the fight against Covid-19.

But it confirmed United

Utilities has applied to take water from a Cumbrian lake to help with supplies in the county and it warned further measures may be needed in the north-west of England if the dry spell continues.

The Met Office is predicting some regions, especially in the south of England, will record the lowest May rainfall figures on record when the final statistics are collated on Monday.

But a spokesman for Water UK, the trade association representing water companies, said: “There are no plans for any hosepipe bans this summer.

“It is always worth using water wisely, though, especially at the moment when people are spending more time at home. Taking a few simple steps to save water reduces the stress on the environment and the water network.”

An EA spokesman said: “We work closely with all water companies throughout the year to ensure their drought plans are up to date and activated as needed.

“At this time, most companies across the country have appropriate water reserves for this time of year. While dry weather since late March has led to a decline in some reservoirs, this is not unusual during a hot and dry spell, and they can recover quickly when the rain returns.”

Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said: “May has been exceptionally dry. Some regions are on track to have possibly the driest May on record.”

Mr Claydon said the official figures for May will be published next week but they are likely to be record breaking in some regions – especially in the south – but not for the UK as a whole.

Up to Tuesday, only 31.8mm of rain had fallen on average across the UK, and only 86mm had fallen on average in England since the beginning of March.

Forecasters said there is no appreciable rain expected in the next week, with an area of high pressure sitting to the east set to continue dominating the weather for at least the next week.