West Berkshire dry, but no hosepipe ban

Thames Water says reservoirs are still 90 per cent full, but urges customers to use water sparingly

DESPITE parts of England being declared a drought region, hosepipe bans are unlikely in West Berkshire according to Thames Water.

The company says that its reservoirs are more than 90 per cent full and has claimed that this is partially due to its efforts in cutting leakages.

The company is however still urging customers to use water sparingly.

Company spokeswoman Becky Johnson said: “While it is unlikely we will need to impose any restrictions this year, come rain or shine we would also urge our customers to use water wisely."

“Although our reservoirs are more than 90 per cent full, the less water we all use now, the more we will have in store for the coming months.

“It has been so dry that the water available to us from rivers and the underground aquifers is now dropping, and we simply don't know what the weather will bring.”

She also thanked water users for helping the company hit is annual leakage target for the fifth year running.

The company surpassed its 2010/11 leakages goal, agreed with the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat), by nine million litres a day, a daily margin of nearly four Olympic-size swimming pools.

Speaking on the wider impact of the drought, Environment Agency spokeswoman Hayley Willoughby said that the drought is making its impact felt in the farming industry: “As yet there have been some surface water and agricultural impacts, but minimal environmental impacts and no concerns for the public water supply situation. However, if we continue to have dry weather and increasing temperatures we could observe some environmental drought impacts, especially in rivers not supported by groundwater.”