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Wettest April but Hosepipe Ban Remains

It’s been the wettest April for over 100 years and there are 13 flood warnings in place at the time of writing, with many more floods having been and gone. But the hosepipe ban affecting 20 million people in south and east England remains in place.

Although this has been good for farmers, gardeners, fish and wildlife in rivers, much more rain is needed to fill depleted groundwater stocks. Sadly this rain wasn’t available during the last two winters when groundwater levels are usually replenished. Rain during the summer months is largely taken by plant growth and evaporation.

May is also set to see lots of rain, though the water companies are still expecting to keep hosepipe bans in places for much of this year.

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman today raised the spectre of standpipes on English streets, something not seen on a large scale since 1976. She said: “Whereas it’s most unlikely we’d have standpipes this year, if we have another dry winter that becomes more likely.”

Thames Water said: “It is likely that the current temporary use ban, or ‘hosepipe ban’, will need to remain in place for the rest of the year. April’s rain has provided a short-term boost to river flows, which has allowed Thames Water to get its reservoirs to 100 per cent full, and keep them there for the time being, but it has not delivered the long-term solution.”

However, the Consumer Council for Water are not happy. Chairwoman Dame Yve Buckland had this to say: “It seems incredible that we are splashing around in floods, having had the wettest April on record and we are still seeing drought restrictions. We are going to seek clarification from Government, the Environment Agency and the companies at the highest level. We want to see the science and evidence that there is an on-going problem.”

19 replies on “Wettest April but Hosepipe Ban Remains”

I just dont understand???
I dont understand how a source such as water could cost so much in the first place!!
i dont understand how people are losing their homes, cars and belongings in floods!!!!
i dont understand how we have had the wettest april in a 100 years and are in a drought!
I dont understand how i can use buckets of water to was my bike and not a hose!!!
i dont understand how they have the right to charge thousands as a penalty, (or the cheek)
i dont understand how some chairman is sat on a pretty wage but has no answers!!!

I have served 10 years in her Majesty’s Service, been to war (which i have never used before in an argument or to gain favouritism), and even now work hard everyday just to pay silly amounts of tax, national insurance and now it would appear to have simple rights like WATER taken away from me…….what is the matter with what we once called GREAT BRITAIN……. just Britain now, nothing great about it.

I really feel that someone should be coming out with some better answers…..

I just dont understand

We need to build new reservoirs which could generate money(sailing etc) on them & mend ALL leaks properly, which is not being done. It is shameful when the fat-cats still get tooooo much money for veeeery little. But does anyone that counts really care what we think. I think not.

before the water companies were sold off by the goverment the autominus companies had no share holders so the public paid less for the services leaks repaired quicker and it was only lack of rain yhat brought about hose bans

After all the flooding and rain fall, with more rain expected, why are we still on a hose ban with South East Water! paying full price for no service at all!!!!!! Does Dick Turpin own South East Water????

Yes it’s bad management. If we have more rain than the last 100 years then it’s obviously not the normal household consumption that is the problem but the industries (or the amount of industries) that use the water that is a problem. But the government cant stop their use of water as the factories will close down, followed by unemployment level rises, followed by riots followed by the countries collapse etc. Nothing can be done so we, the general public are made to feel guilty for wanting to drink and keep our families clean..Hmmm!

There are reasons as to why the hosepipe ban is in place. As I’m sure you’re all aware of, parts of England are in drought and as a result, our water should not be taken for granted and used wisely. For those who do not understand, the ban is specifically placed on hosepipes because people can easily ‘over-use’ the amount of water which can dramatically drain resevoirs e.g. leave the hosepipe on for a good half an hour in order to water plants/lawns. On the other hand, a bucket has a limited capacity and can therefore only be filled with a certain amount of water meaning that water isn’t taken for granted and is only used to what is required.

You wouldn’t get treated like this in Turkey or a different country (not sure why I picked Turkey) I am highly cheesed off… i pay the full (expensive rate ) because of my postcode… however, when thames tried to fit a meter they couldn’t due to the pipe works…surely they can do something right, and reduce my rates as I am of single occupancy sometimes I feel like waking up running the tapes just for the fact I pay for the costs….and waste it but knowing I paid for it !

These water companys are quick to fine us but i want to know why they take so long to fix the leaks and no penaltys imposed???

So the reservoirs are full but there is still a problem.

Think bad management and maintenance comes into play here, yet a month or so it was the weather.

Now the weather has done it’s part the water companies need to do theirs. It’s a joke that we still have to pay full price for a substandard service.

If there was any other option I would be taking my business elsewhere!

The government should be shamefull that they have let this practice happen for so long.

I agree Russell, something needs to be done….for a start, we need to stop lining the pockets of the fat cats at the top and spend some money on repairing leaking pipes, old drainage systems and finding a better way of resourcing and maintaining the resevoirs, this would reduce the cost considerabley!!!
Just briefly on a slightly different note…..how come when we go abroad with all the hot weather that is so widespread, we see them all watering thier crops and gardens, streets and cars with freshwater with no ban in use, yet the average rainfall must be considerably less than ours, is there something we should know or atleast be aware of???? Perhaps the fatcats at the top of the water companies are selling are water abroad for a much higher cost :)!!!!…….just a thought!!

Sammie,

I’ve posted many times on this forum about water leakage (cos that’s my job), but this time your last question caught my eye: “..how come when we go abroad… etc”

Take a look at this map of water scarcity taken from the BBC website (an article on climate change):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp/hi/dhtml_slides/09/water_stress/img/slide01.gif

You may notice the red areas showing extreme scarcity – parts of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mojave, Southeast England, etc. It’s not a joke I promise.

Let me understand this, I can not use a hosepipe to wash my car but I can use the same ammount of water carried out in a bucket?

We still have a ban because the resevoirs are full but no long term solution – as in fixing all the leaks?

You won’t fix the leaks unless there is a profit in it for you and your shareholders?

We have a right to water, yes?

I’m confused.

i think the hosepipe ban is a BRILLIANT idea
i LOVE the idea it is my favourite thing to read about in the morining before i do anything else…… YAY HOSEPIPE BAN!!!!

I think it is wrong that people who pay a fixed water rate still have to pay the full charge despite water restrictions. Yet those with meters pay less with lower consumption.

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