London, Europe Brief News – A hosepipe ban warning has been issued as Britain ‘s heatwave could see the 40C barrier broken for the first time.
Households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight could be subject to “extra measures” to conserve water this summer, as forecasters predicted a week-long heatwave.
One weather model suggests temperatures could hit 40C this Sunday, breaking temperature records, with forecasters suggesting a one in three chance that Britain could see its hottest-ever day.
The UK’s current highest ever temperature recorded is 38.7C, set in July 2019 at the Cambridge Botanic Garden.
Water companies can impose restrictions on usage when water levels in reservoirs and rivers become low.
The first stage of this, in drought conditions, is a “temporary use ban”, also known as a hosepipe ban, which would require people to stop using hosepipes to clean cars and water gardens, and to stop filling outdoor pools and fountains.
A spokesman for Southern Water, which manages the water supply in the coastal south-east of England, said: “When the weather hots up, we all use more water and we can see our daily demand jump by hundreds of millions of litres.
“Drier weather means less rainfall too and this year we have experienced long periods. The places that we extract water from to supply our customers, like groundwater, rivers and reservoirs, will be lower.
“We do not anticipate the need for temporary use bans across the whole of our region in the coming months.
“However, we may require extra measures in certain areas where water is scarcer and the pressure on supply is greatest, such as Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. We are working closely with local communities and partner agencies in these areas, to keep disruption to a minimum.
“We’re proud to deliver a reliable water supply, whatever the weather, so we ask all customers to help us do that by using water wisely at all times.”
