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3 hours ago Nathan Briant South of England Getty Images Hosepipes should still not be used for watering gardens across the Thames Valley and London A hosepipe ban will remain in place across the area served by Thames Water until there is sustained rainfall over weeks or perhaps months, the company has said. The ban introduced on 23 July has not been enough to fill up reservoirs, with recent rainfall still below the long-term average. The restriction means 10.1 million customers should not use hosepipes to water gardens, clean cars, fill paddling pools or swimming pools, or clean windows.
So far in September, the Thames Valley has reached about 35% of its average rainfall and London 41%, Thames Water said. Julie Morton, the company's head of water resources, said while this month's rain had been "very welcome", it had been insufficient "to overcome the impact of the prolonged dry weather we've experienced since spring". She added: "Across our region, rainfall between March and August was less than half of what we would normally expect, and while some river levels have responded to recent rain, groundwater and soil moisture remain significantly below average." Getty Images The water stored at Farmoor Reservoir near Oxford is far below the average level Thames Water would expect The company said that on 16 September, storage at Farmoor Reservoir, near Oxford, was 75%, below the average for this time of year of 93%.
It said London's reservoir storage was 59% on that day, below the average figure of 78%. "We will need significant and prolonged rainfall over the coming weeks to be able to consider lifting the restrictions that remain in place," Morton said. "We know restrictions are frustrating and we're grateful to customers for continuing to use water carefully.
Every reduction in water use helps protect supplies for customers, communities and the environment." As part of the temporary ban, hosepipes and pressure washers should not be used to: Water gardens, lawns or allotments (this includes the use of sprinklers) Fill paddling pools, swimming pools or hot tubs Clean vehicles, patios, paths, driveways, walls, windows or any outdoor areas Some exemptions may include: Wastewater only customers Health and safety needs Animal welfare, including pets, livestock, and fish Watering food crops and certain newly planted trees Customers who cannot reasonably adjust their water use because of a disability or medical condition A full list and more details can be found on Thames Water's website . More on this story Related internet links
Source: BBC
