UK heatwave weather forecast: Yorkshire Water hosepipe ban as drought ‘could last until 2023’

The regional water authorities in England were one of the last industries to be privatised by Margaret Thatcher, in 1989. Every time there is a water shortage and hosepipe bans are brought in, the cry goes up to cut the bosses’ bonuses, fine the companies for leaks and renationalise them, writes John Rentoul.

People have a “significant opportunity” to reduce their energy costs by reducing their water usage, the chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water said.

Emma Clancy told Sky News: “The drought has brought all our use of water into sharp focus and it is very much a precious resource that we need to value and it doesn’t have to be complicated, the steps that we need to take. Just very simple steps will make a big difference.

“And there’s also a significant opportunity for households to save money at a time when that is really, really important.

“So, around 16 per cent of your energy costs are actually spent heating water. So, if you can take a shorter shower, if you can use less water, you’ll be saving on your water bill. And you’ll also be saving on your energy costs, which is incredibly important right now.”

Water companies must “step up” in their efforts to address leakages which can “dampen people’s enthusiasm” for trying to save the resource, the Consumer Council for Water’s (CCW) chief executive has said.

Emma Clancy said visible leaks can “really just turn people off” in terms of the steps they need to take to reduce their water use.

She told Sky News: “We know that when leakage is seen, particularly visible leaks where you see an incident in the street, it really does dampen people’s enthusiasm to take the steps that we’re describing.

“So it is very, very important that companies do step up, that they do tackle the visible leaks and also that they communicate with people much more clearly about the steps that they’re taking and why they are taking it.

“CCW’s research shows that around 50% of people are happy with the communications that they receive from water companies, so there is some way to go and we think that that can be strengthened. Leaks must be addressed as part of this solution.”

She urged companies to see the target of reducing leakage by half by 2050 as “a basic standard” which they should try to exceed.

Drought in the UK would not lead to “stand pipes around the country”, a cabinet minister has insisted.

Asked by LBC what a drought would mean for the Britain, and what actions water companies should be taking, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said: “This isn’t going to be like the 70s where there were stand pipes around the country when we had similar sort of temperatures.

“Indeed, since the private investment went into the water industry, we have seen a lot more improvements in things like leakages and similar.

“We need to continue to keep that focus, but, overall, I think it is about people being careful with water.”

Drought is a consequence of a changing climate and environment, and such changes leave the world open to an “an increasing risk of new and emerging infectious diseases”, Professor Isabel Oliver has warned.

The UK Health Security Agency’s chief scientific adviser transition lead told Sky News: “These changes are associated with an increasing risk of new and emerging infectious diseases – so, diseases that we might not have seen before, because of our changing environment, we are at greater risk of experiencing.

“It’s really important that, you know, we continue to work to make sure that we prevent and mitigate those threats to health.”

Thames Water is “ready to go” on announcing a hosepipe ban if a drought is declared, its strategy and regulatory affairs director has said.

Cathryn Ross said there is a process for introducing a ban but that could be bypassed if an official declaration of drought is made later on Friday.

She told BBC Breakfast: “We have to wait and see what the government says and exactly what that means, possibly even later today. I don’t know, we will obviously consider that.

“But, as you probably noticed, at Thames Water we’ve been asking our customers since late May to respond to the hot weather, to respond to the dry weather and just really take steps to use water wisely.”

Asked if a drought was declared, whether the hosepipe ban could come in straight away, she said: “Very probably, yes. We are ready to go with our hosepipe ban.

“Obviously before we introduce the ban itself, we need to be really ready with all of our communications for people right the way across the region, so we’re really clear for everybody what they can do, what they can’t do, and if they’re having any issues how to contact us. We are ready to do that.”

Cabinet minister Therese Coffey has called on water companies to “do their bit” to reduce water leakages as another heatwave scorches the country after months of low rainfall.

Asked if the extreme heat causing drought in England was down to climate change, the work and pensions secretary told Sky News: “I think it’s certainly more evidence, if people needed it, of the impact of extreme weather events with gradually changing climate.”

She added: “In the short term, we’ve seen an increase in investment in trying to reduce leakages … the water companies need to continue to do their bit to reduce unnecessary leakages.”

Sainsbury’s and Tescos are the latest supermarkets to have put a stop to disposable barbecues sales amid fears they could spark dangerous wildfires after the recent dry spell left grassland like a tinderbox.

It follows in the footsteps of Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Aldi in halting sales of the potentially dangerous products entirely.

Tesco initally implemented a temporary local ban on disposable barebecue sales near areas of outstanding beauty – a policy similar to those currently in force in Co-op and Morrisons outlets.

Meanwhile, a Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “As a precautionary measure we are removing from sale all disposable barbecues until further notice.

Safety is our highest priority and we have made this decision due to the hot and dry weather that we are currently experiencing across the country.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and listen to customer feedback.”

It follows a petition on the UK government website calling for a national ban which has so far amassed more than 20,000 signatures.

Experts have warned that only “exceptional rainfall” in the worst affected parts of th esouth and east of England over the autumn and winter would ensure that water resources returned to normal before next year, sparking concern that restrictions could last into 2023.

“The autumn-winter period as a whole will be critical to dictating what the water resources position will be as we go into 2023,” said Jamie Hannaford, a hydrologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

Yorkshire Water has become the latest company to announce a hosepipe ban, with restrictions coming into effect from August 26.

Yorkshire Water’s director of water, Neil Dewis, said: “Our decision to introduce a hosepipe ban is based on the risk that water stocks continue to fall in the coming weeks and the need to be cautious about clean water supplies and long term river health.”

There is also a heat health alert in place from the UK Health Security Agency, with experts advising people to look out for those who are older or with existing health conditions, as well as young children.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports: