Warnings as drought expected next year
So far this year only 468mm of rain has fallen against the annual average of 739mm in the Thames Water region
THAMES Water has asked its customers to conserve water and launched a number of awareness campaigns to protect local rivers ahead of an expected drought next year.
So far this year only 468mm of rain has fallen against the annual average of 739mm in the Thames Water region, a situation which the Environment Agency has described as 'seriously water stressed'.
Thames Water has resorted to switching on a back up network of underground aquifer storage for the first time since the drought in 2006 as well as urging its 8.8m customers to ‘use water wisely'.
Richard Aylard, Thames Water's director of external affairs and sustainability, said: “It may come as a surprise to be talking about drought so close to Christmas, but if we don't get close to average rainfall this winter there is a very real possibility of a drought next year.
“This summer may have been mostly grey and dreary, but it has also been consistently dry. Fifteen of the past 19 months have seen below average rainfall, and 2011 has been one of the driest years on record.
“This is not just our problem - it's everybody's problem. We can only supply people with water that has arrived initially as rain. Everyone has a part to play in ensuring there is enough water to go around. We all need to use water wisely, valuing this precious resource and using less of it. The less water we use the less we need to take from the environment, and the more there will be to go around next summer.
“Winter rain is vitally important because it recharges the underground aquifers which drive flows in rivers across our region during the following year. Normally at this time of year we would see this recharge happening already, but as any farmer or gardener will tell you, the ground is still hard and dry, so the first rain we get will just serve to moisten the ground before it can trickle down and refill the aquifers.”
Thames Water has also launched a series of campaigns to urge people to protect their local rivers, including the River Kennet and the RIver Pang where the number of fish deaths is rising due to the drop in water levels.
Bill board posters backed by the Angling Trust have been put up at both Pangbourne and Hungerford train stations.
Charlotte Hitchmough, director of Action for the River Kennet, who are also backing the campaigns, has described the situation as ‘desperate'.
“In a dry year you cannot have lovely flowing rivers and cheap water,” she said. “Everyone should think of water as a valuable source but at the end of the day it's down to individuals to change their behaviour to save water.”
Thames Water, which takes 80% of its 2.6bn litres of daily water from rivers, and 20% from underground boreholes, is offering free water-saving products via its website at www.thameswater.co.uk/waterwisely, or 0800 358 6665.
