First hosepipe ban imposed by Wessex Water in 50 years
It's as the dry weather has been leading to high water demand
Wessex Water has announced a hosepipe ban starting from 18th August in response to unprecedented dry weather conditions and drought in the region.
The water company, which serves 1.4 million customers across Bath, Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire, has made this decision after water demand remained at record-breaking levels for over 40 days in an area officially declared as experiencing drought.
From tomorrow, household customers will be prohibited from using hosepipes for tasks such as garden watering, car washing, cleaning patios, paths, driveways, windows, and filling swimming and paddling pools.
This marks Wessex Water's first restriction on water use in 50 years, with the last instance being the notable drought of 1976.
Ongoing Dry Weather Challenges
Ruth Jefferson, Chief Executive of Wessex Water, explained the decision was driven by increased water demand during prolonged dry weather and the need to protect water resources for the future.
Repair teams have been addressing leaks more aggressively this summer, focusing on the most wasteful cases, and achieving nearly a third more find and fix rates for leaks last month.
Over the past 30 years, leakage in the region has reduced by 60%, alongside a £230 million investment between 2010 and 2018 to improve the water supply grid.
Community Involvement
Mrs Jefferson said: “After 50 years without a hosepipe ban in the Wessex Water region – the first since the famous drought of 1976 – this isn't a decision we've made lightly and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause.
“We know so many of our customers have already been taking steps to save water and we’re incredibly grateful for their support so far this summer. It makes such a difference.
“But the prolonged and extreme dry weather has meant demand across our region has consistently remained at more than 400 million litres per day, 30 per cent above average for this time of year and the equivalent of almost half a million hosepipes running for a full hour every day.”
Encouragement for Water Conservation
Wessex Water is reaching out to larger business customers with high water usage to restrain non-essential consumption and encourages households to adopt simple measures during the ongoing dry spell:
Allowing the lawn to go brown, as it will recover when rainfall occurs
Using a watering can for plants
Reusing washing up water for patio pots and moving pots to shaded areas
Filling paddling pools with buckets or watering cans and covering them to reduce evaporation
Taking shorter showers and avoiding running taps while brushing teeth or washing dishes
Skipping car washes, keeping only the windscreen and number plate clean