London, United Kingdom (UK)- Thames Water which supplies water to some parts of the country has said that from next week, anyone who gets their water from the water supplier would have to do away with the use of hosepipes.
According to Thames Water, anyone taken to Court for persistent breaches of restrictions on hosepipe bans including watering a garden, cleaning a vehicle or washing windows, walls, paths, and patios will face a fine of up to £1 000 (US$1 200).
“We have been working around the clock to supply everyone, and customers have been brilliant at saving water where they can but with low rainfall forecast for the coming months, we now need to take the next step in our drought plan,” read a statement from Thames Water.
Welsh Water, Southern Water and South East Water have already imposed hosepipe bans, while several others are set to follow suit.
All around the UK, water levels are struggling following record-breaking heat and historically low rainfall which has since prompted the government to declare a drought.
At a meeting of the National Drought Group on Friday, the government’s Environment Agency said the drought trigger threshold had been met in parts of southwestern, southern, central and eastern parts of the country.
The government said the move to drought status was based on factors such as rainfall, river flows, levels of groundwater as well as reservoirs and their impact on public water supply.
According to the meteorological department, the period from January to June this year saw the least rainfall in England and Wales since 1976 and every month of the year except February has been drier than average. That summer of 1976 saw the use of drastic measures such as roadside standpipes and water rationing.
“We urge everyone to manage the amount of water they are using in this exceptionally dry period,” said National Drought Group chair, Harvey Bradshaw.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has warned beachgoers to stay away after sewage alerts across England and Wales following heavy rainfall affecting water quality, especially in the south.
The environmental campaign group Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has collected data that suggests storm sewage discharges have taken place on beaches in Cornwall, Cumbria, Devon, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Sussex.
With much of the UK in drought, the land has become less able to absorb heavy rainfall, meaning larger than usual quantities reaching drainage channels, which can cause flash floods.
