Water Restrictions

Walking around London you would have likely noticed a different shade of grass, it is not just the peak temperatures reaching above 40 degrees but also a significant drop in rainfall. This brings up the question that is very rare to the UK, should there be any water restrictions?

A hosepipe ban has come into force from Wednesday 24th August, this restricts those in effected areas by not allowing them to water gardens, wash cars, windows or to fill paddling pools with a hose. You can see and search the effects areas on the Thames Water restrictions page. For those who are found to break the rules, a fine of up to £1,000 could be issued.

Some months showed almost a 60% decrease in average rainfall feeding the London catchment areas as we went through the 2nd driest July on record. The numbers can be concerning but reservoirs in London are still at 75% capacity at the end of July 2022, but there is a cause for alarm coming from providers.

Image courtesy of Affinity Water 

Providers like Thames Water and Affinity Water messaged their customers in early August, that no water restrictions are required, a communication that was quickly reversed. With the rising cost of living it is good to watch a resource that many take for granted like water, and understand its value and conservation options in case of future dry spells.