Nearly half the UK’s population will face bans on hosepipes in just weeks, after leaked documents revealed that three additional water companies have plans to restrict their use.
Yesterday Britain’s biggest water company, Thames Water, which supplies some 15million people, said it would announce a ban in the coming weeks.
Southern Water, South East Water und Welsh Water already announced restrictions that will affect almost three million people.
A document from the Environment Agency that was seen by Daily Mail shows that Yorkshire has five million customers. Severn Trent is home to eight million. South West can have up to two millions. The number of people who would be affected by a hosepipe ban will increase to approximately 33million if the law is enacted.
As water companies try to meet demand, planned hosepipe bans may see water supply disruptions for 33 million people.
Minchinhampton Common, Gloucestershire: A cow struggling to shelter herself from the scorching heat
As companies try to deal with high demand, water supply problems for 33 million households could be a problem.
The Met Office has issued an amber severe heat alert for areas of England and Wales, for tomorrow through Sunday. Temperatures are likely to rise up to 35C (95F), or 36C (36) on Monday. UK Health and Security Agency placed the UK on a Level 3 heat-health alert.
A 14-year old boy who got into trouble in Cheshunt’s lake, Hertfordshire was killed by the heat.
Drought conditions may last for three months, according to dire warnings. The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology predicts ‘exceptionally low’ flow levels in rivers until October.
Thames Water is available in parts of London and Surrey. The ban on hosepipes comes in spite of the fact that 635 million litres per day are let out by its pipes.
As temperatures soar again amid warnings that another heatwave could hit, Monday’s Long Walk at Windsor Castle saw the temperature rise.
A man is seen walking in Richmond Park’s sun-bleached pathways on this aerial shot taken August 9, 2009.
On August 9, London, people sat in the sunlight, with parched grass, during hot, dry weather.
This is the scene in Hornsey Road (Islington), north London, where firefighters dealt with flooding caused by a burst watermain. Thames Water advised customers to keep their water safe.
Burrator Reservoir was in Devon and at 44% capacity as of August 6. This is amid concerns of drought in England.
On August 8, a bridge spans the dry bed of River Thames, near its source at Thames Head. This is a grouping of springs which are derived from limestone aquifers in the Cotswolds.
The Environment Agency will declare England in drought this week, further pressure on water companies.
The bans make it an offence to use a hosepipe to water a garden, wash a car or boat or fill up ponds, and can attract a £1,000 fine in the courts.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: ‘On the Environment Agency’s sliding scale, we are now one stage before a drought. If this dry weather picture continues, parts of England could move into drought.’
As much as any other part of south Britain, the stunning and dry Greenwich Park has been without rain since June/early July.