Lincolnshire hosepipe ban must stay for now, water bosses say
Water bosses say water levels remain significantly lower than normal as hosepipe ban remains in force
A hosepipe ban will stay in place, with utility bosses saying that water levels still remain significantly below normal.
This summer, Anglian Water introduced the ban on July 11 for customers across the east of the country – including Lincolnshire and Rutland. Despite recent rainfall, however, the ban cannot yet be lifted.
Members of Lincolnshire County Council’s (LCC) environment scrutiny committee were provided with a report from the firm, updating it on the organisation’s water resources in light of the summer drought.
At a meeting on Friday, September 11, the company said that its region has experienced an exceptionally dry year, with only about 39% of expected rainfall recorded during the spring and only 1% of the rainfall expected during July, with a string of heatwaves experienced during a hot summer.
Anglian Water said its reservoir and underground water levels are significantly lower than normal, which it said has put pressure on its water resources and the environment.
The organisation said that after the hosepipe ban was introduced its water usage reduced by about 9%, with consumption remaining approximately 5% below normal levels.
Anglian Water also said that demand for water has risen by more than 30% during peak times, but the company added that it has been able to move water around its network to where it’s most needed.
Water bosses said that a hosepipe ban – known in their terminology as a Temporary Use Ban – will remain in place for now while its reservoir levels recover back to their normal levels.
In a briefing notice to the committee an Anglian Water spokesperson said: “As the driest region in the UK with a fast-growing population, we monitor water resources closely and concluded that acting early and introducing a Temporary Use Ban was the responsible course of action to help reduce demand, safeguard vulnerable river catchments and improve our ability to maintain resilient.
“The East of England has experienced an exceptionally dry year, with only around 39% of expected rainfall recorded during the spring and only 1% of the rainfall expected during July, with successive record-breaking heatwaves.
“These conditions have placed considerable pressure on both our water resources and the natural environment, with river flows across much of the region now notably or exceptionally low and reservoir storage reducing quickly during the summer period.
“Although we’ve had some rain recently, our rivers, reservoirs and underground water sources are still much lower than normal and these water sources do not recover quickly after months of dry weather.”
Officials have not given a date for when the ban is likely to end.
Councillors were asked to note the report and there was no debate on it.