Unions urge United Utilities to fix leaks after hosepipe ban is lifted
Unions have called on water company United Utilities to invest in its infrastructure after the Warrington-based firm cancelled its proposed hose pipe ban today.
The ban was due to take effect across the North West on Sunday.
The temporary measure would have affected seven million people.
But recent rainfall and a reduction in water usage has enabled United Utilities to cancel plans for the ban.
However, the company warned it could still introduce a ban if the unseasonal hot and dry weather continues.
United Utilities spokesman Martin Padley thanked customers for reducing their water usage and said the company did not “want to inconvenience customers unnecessarily at this time.”
He added: “Our leakage teams are working 24 hours a day to find and repair as many leaks as possible and we have been moving water around our network.
“The long range forecast from the Met Office is one of relatively dry weather into the Autumn, so future restrictions are still a possibility if more rain doesn’t arrive.”
He urged consumers to continue their reduced use of water resources.
Robert Light, from the Consumer Council for Water, said: “Consumers deserve great credit for the way they’ve responded to the call to use water wisely.”
However, the GMB union called on United Utilities to cut its leakage rates.
GMB national officer Stuart Fegan said: “Today’s news from United Utilities will be a relief for millions of customers in the North West.
“But rather than leaving customers praying for rain, United Utilities must now invest and fix their infrastructure which leads to 175 Olympic size swimming pools of treated water being lost each day.
“Unfortunately, past behaviour over the last 29 years suggests that private water companies are more than happy to accept fines from Ofwat rather than make the necessary investment in our water infrastructure to stop leaks.
“The bosses of England’s privatised water companies must sit up and take note of the public reaction to hose pipe bans while they make huge profits, pay their CEOs a fortune and have failed to sufficiently invest in our water infrastructure as promised. ”
