More than 27 million people across England are facing water restrictions due to the ongoing drought after a summer of hot and dry weather, with all of Wales also in drought conditions. No water restrictions are in place in Greater Manchester, although United Utilities, which supplies water to north west England, has encouraged people to use water wisely.
Drought Conditions Spread Across England and Wales
Large parts of England and all of Wales have entered drought conditions following weeks of widespread heatwaves and dry weather. Data from the Environment Agency shows that East Anglia, Hertfordshire and North London, Thames, Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, West Midlands, Wessex, Kent and South London, Solent and South Downs, East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire are all in drought.
Greater Manchester, along with North East, Yorkshire, Cumbria and Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire, remain in prolonged dry weather, which is the category before a drought.
Latest Ban and Affected Companies
Wessex Water became the latest utility to announce a hosepipe ban on Monday, August 17, after weeks of heatwaves and dry weather left many areas facing water shortages. Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, Southern Water, South East Water, South West Water, and Thames Water are all imposing water restrictions due to the lack of rainfall.
Although some rainfall is forecast for the UK this week, the Met Office has said it remains cautious over how much impact the showers will have on reversing the drought conditions.
Met Office Warns Showers May Not Reverse Drought
"Many of the wettest periods this week are expected to come in the form of showers rather than prolonged, steady rain," the Met Office says. "Showers can be highly variable, with some places receiving significant amounts of rain while neighbouring locations see very little. Heavy downpours can also run off very dry ground rather than soaking deeply into the soil."
The Met Office continues: "The scale of the recent dry spell is illustrated by the number of locations still recording exceptionally long runs without significant rainfall. Wisley in Surrey has recorded 61 consecutive dry days, while Heathrow and Odiham have each gone 55 days without meaningful rain. Several other locations across southern England have recorded dry spells lasting more than six weeks."
The Met Office concludes that a few days of showers are "unlikely to completely reverse the effects of such prolonged dryness".
Full List of Areas Facing Water Restrictions
Anglian Water: All supply areas are covered by the hosepipe ban aside from Hartlepool. Affected areas: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Suffolk.
Affinity Water: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, parts of London and Essex.
Cambridge Water: All customers are covered. Affected areas: Cambridge, Huntingdonshire, South Cambridgeshire, parts of East Cambridgeshire.
Essex and Suffolk Water: All customers are covered. Affected areas: Chelmsford, Brentwood, Romford, Barking, Tilbury, Basildon, Southend, Hanningfield, Langford, Great Yarmouth, Barsham, Walpole, Southwold, Lowestoft.
Southern Water: Hampshire, Isle of Wight.
South East Water: All customers are covered. Affected areas: Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire.
South West Water: Mid Devon, parts of East Devon and Dorset.
Thames Water: All customers are covered. Affected areas: Greater London, Thames Valley, parts of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent and Essex.
Wessex Water: All customers are covered. Affected areas: Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, most of Wiltshire, parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire.
