South West Water becomes latest firm to impose hosepipe ban

Millions more Britons are hit by a hosepipe ban in staycation hotspot: South West Water slaps Devon and Cornwall with restrictions as experts say it will take WEEKS of rain to reverse drought

• Manx Water, Welsh Water, Southern Water and South East Water – have all already imposed hosepipe bans
• Yorkshire Water says restrictions will start on August 26 while a ban is also expected in Thames Water area
• South West Water has now announced a ban from August 23 affecting Cornwall and small part of Devon
• It follows driest summer for 50 years that has almost completely deprived some areas of rainfall all summer 

Another hosepipe ban was announced today, with Cornwall and parts of Devon becoming the next area of Britain to face temporary restrictions when South West Water brings in the policy in just over a week’s time.

Four water companies – Manx Water, Welsh Water, Southern Water and South East Water – have all already imposed bans, while Yorkshire Water has announced restrictions will start on August 26.

Thames Water is also planning a ban in the coming weeks, after a drought was declared for parts of England following the driest summer for 50 years that has almost completely deprived some areas of rainfall all summer.

Now, South West Water has announced that it will be imposing its own ‘temporary use ban’ restrictions from midnight on August 23, with bosses saying this will be the firm’s first ban in more than a quarter of a century.

The Met Office has issued four days of thunderstorm warnings running from yesterday until Wednesday amid forecasts of heavy rain – but experts have said England needs ‘weeks of rain’ to reverse the drought conditions.

Low water levels at Colliford Lake near Bodmin, pictured last Friday. Water levels at Cornwall’s largest reservoir are currently only 40 per cent full – a low water level not seen since 1995 – revealing a forgotten landscape not been seen for decades

A hosepipe ban is being introduced to Cornwall and parts of Devon from August 23, South West Water has announced today

A South West Water spokesman said today: ‘It’s the first time in 26 years but we’ve been left with no other choice. We need to have a hosepipe ban now to protect our precious water.’

‘We’ve done our best to avoid this ban. We’ve increased the amount of water we can store, doubling it since the last drought in 1976.

‘We’ve opened reservoirs, installed a new borehole, and improved the way we can move water across the region to help keep everyone’s taps running.’

South West Water said it was now fixing about 2,000 leaks a month, with a third happening on customer supply pipes, which were being repaired for free.

Low water levels and the dried bed at Colliford Lake near Bodmin in Cornwall last Friday. After a prolonged period of dry weather, some parts of England are in drought conditions, prompting hosepipe bans and other water-conservation measures

Last Friday, the very dry conditions prompted the National Drought Group to move parts of the South West, parts of southern and central England, and the East of England into official drought status.

The change could lead to more measures such as hosepipe bans, however the Environment Agency has reassured the public that essential water supplies are safe.

The most recent Environment Agency data showed rainfall totals for August have ranged from 12 per cent of the long-term average in north east England to 0 per cent in south east and south west England.

Meanwhile river flow data revealed almost 90 per cent of measuring sites were showing below normal readings, with 29 per cent labelled ‘exceptionally low’. The heat and dry conditions have also taken their toll on agriculture.

According to the National Farmers Union, crops such as sugar beet and maize are showing signs of stress from a lack of rain, while crops relying on irrigation, such as field vegetables and potatoes, are also facing problems.

John Curtin, a director at the Environment Agency, said above average rainfall must last a period of several months to alleviate the drought problems facing parts of the country.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World At One last Friday, he said: ‘Mainly it is a signal that this is not a normal summer now, so that water will be an issue and probably will be an issue for months ahead, depending how the winter goes.’

Mr Curtin continued: ‘It all depends on the weather I’m afraid. There will be heavy showers probably Monday, Tuesday.

‘But please, don’t think that will stop the drought because we’re talking about that we’ve lost a week’s worth of rain and it’ll take weeks of rain, we’ll need probably average or slightly above average rainfall this autumn into this winter for us to not be in a drought next year.’ 

The heatwave will continue for much of England today with highs of up to 90F (32C) in the South East, which will be the eighth day in a row of temperatures hitting at least 86F (30C) somewhere in the UK.

The Met Office has issued a series of weather warnings for TODAY (left), TOMORROW (centre) and WEDNESDAY (right)

Data collected from more than 18 water companies, including Thames Water, Severn Trent Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water, showed that sites ranging from Oxfordshire and London, to Warwickshire, had no water or poor pressure

But the mercury will begin to fall significantly from tomorrow when a maximum of 77F (25C) is forecast for the South East. By Wednesday, highs of just 72F (22C) will make conditions feel notably cooler.

Thunderstorm warnings have been in place for Scotland since 9am yesterday, and remain in place until the end of today amid an alert for up to 1.2in (30mm) of rain within an hour and 2in (50mm) in three to six hours.

A warning for the whole of England and Wales then begins at 10am this morning, with a risk of ‘torrential downpours for some spots’ that could cause traffic disruption, train delays, flooding and power cuts.

This warning – which comes with a ‘small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater’ – runs until the end of tomorrow, although the Met Office said some places within the area will stay dry while others will be deluged.

A separate warning only covering the South of England then runs from 9am on Wednesday until the end of the day, which says up to 1.2in (30mm) of rain could fall in an hour, and 2.4in (60mm) in ‘less than three hours’.

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