North West faces hosepipe ban after weeks of hot weather

United Utilities reservoir

A hosepipe ban is set to be introduced in the North West after weeks of dry weather.

United Utilities has announced the first hosepipe ban of the summer in England in a bid to preserve water levels in the region.

The firm said a temporary ban affecting seven million people would come into force from August 5th to “safeguard essential supplies”.

The firm said reservoir levels were already low and hot weather is forecast for the rest of July.

United Utilities is the only company in England which is planning to introduce a ban.

Carlisle and the Eden Valley have reasonable supplies and are exempt from the ban.

The two areas receive water from local water sources and have not been as badly affected by the lack of rainfall.

Earlier this month United Utilities announced it was moving water from Wales to boost depleted supplies across the North West.

A hosepipe ban was introduced in Northern Ireland at the end of June.
A United Utilities spokesperson said: “Despite some recent rainfall, reservoir levels are still lower than we would expect at this time of year and, with forecasters predicting a return to hot dry weather for the rest of July we will need to impose some temporary restrictions on customers.

“We are enormously grateful to customers for having helped reduce the demand on our network over the last couple of weeks but unless we get a period of sustained rainfall before 5 August these restrictions will help us safeguard essential water supplies for longer.”

The firm has the power to impose fines of up to £1,000 for people who ignore the ban.

Meanwhile, GMB, the trade union for the water industry, reacted to today’s news with anger, claiming United Utilities lets more than 175 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water go down the plug hole every day.

It says United Utilities wastes almost 440 million litres every day, according to the latest leakage figures for the Warrington-based water firm.

That represents 133 litres of water per day per household – the equivalent of a full bath tub and washing machine cycle thrown away in every home, said the GMB.

Dr Neil Macdonald, reader in geography and expert in flood, drought and water management at the University of Liverpool, said: “The decision by United Utilities to introduce a hosepipe ban is a sensible step considering the longer term weather forecast, with above average temperatures expected for several more weeks.

“The North West has experienced particularly hot weather for the region over the last six weeks and reservoirs in the region are now running at below normal levels for this point in the year, so a hosepipe ban is a prudent pre-emptive step to ensure United Utilities can meet demand.

“Leakage rates with the North West region are equivalent to approximately 25% of water supply.”

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