New hosepipe ban issued as 5 million Brits face restriction from this weekend | UK | News
Five million people face a new hose ban as the number of Brits banned from using hoses to water their gardens, wash their cars and fill swimming pools increases amid an ongoing heatwave. Anglican Water announced restrictions for people in the east of England on Friday, banning people from using hoses from 1am on Saturday.
People were asked to “immediately live in accordance with the spirit of these restrictions” as rising temperatures increase the likelihood of drought. Anglian Water’s head of strategic asset planning, Dr Geoff Darch, said: “This year has been extremely hot and dry and we are already into our third heatwave of the summer.
“Persistent hot weather increases the challenge of balancing supply and demand, and we are now at the point where we need to ask our customers to help by turning off hoses, not letting grass turn brown, cars getting dirty, and using water more wisely to help protect the environment and ensure water remains available for all customers.”
The risk of drought is particularly high in East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall. Southern Water introduced restrictions for one million customers in Hampshire and the Isle of White from Friday.
Cambridge Water also announced the temporary ban of 350,000 customers for the first time in nearly 30 years. He warned that local water supplies were “currently under significant pressure” as demand reached record levels following low rainfall.
South East Water took similar action for Kent areas including Ashford, Canterbury, Faversham, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Snodland, Tenterden and Tunbridge Wells on 3 July.
This comes as the third heatwave of the year continues into the weekend and into next week; Temperatures of 34 degrees are expected in southwest England on Saturday and 33 degrees on Sunday.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree said: “High pressure is expected to persist for much of next week but will gradually move northwards.
“This means that an easterly wind will prevail in the south and the focus of the warmest conditions will shift towards the south-west.
“As a result, some of the places where the highest temperatures have been seen in recent weeks will begin to cool. However, the weather will remain very warm, especially in the southwest, and heatwave thresholds may continue to be met in some places.
“The general signal is that the weather will continue to be fine, dry and at times very hot in most parts of England into next week. However, there is a possibility of storms spreading to parts of the south and south-west.”
