Bristol Water has today announced it will introduce temporary restrictions on hosepipe use for all customers to protect water resources in the River Severn, following a drought order by the Environment Agency.
Prolonged dry weather, low river levels, significantly below average rainfall and high demand, also continues to place increasing pressure on both water supplies for people and the health of river systems and wildlife habitats.
The temporary restrictions will come into effect from 00:01am tomorrow Thursday 27 August, although customers are being asked to begin following the restrictions immediately to help protect water supplies during the current drought conditions.
The restrictions mean customers should not use hosepipes for activities including watering gardens, washing cars, patios and boats, or filling swimming and paddling pools.
Water can still be used as normal for drinking, flushing toilets, washing and cooking.
During periods of dry weather, Bristol Water takes over half of its water from river sources, including the River Severn via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, to help manage reservoir levels.
The drought conditions have resulted in a significant impact to the River Severn, one of its major sources, leading to the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales applying for a drought order to protect this essential water source.
As a result, Bristol Water must act responsibly and is working closely with both agencies to support this vital natural water environment.
Alongside this, the UK has experienced its fifth heatwave of the year and one of the driest periods in recent years, which led to the Environment Agency declaring over 70% of England, including Bristol, in drought.
More recently, the Met Office has warned of the developing risks from El Niño - a powerful natural climate phenomenon which pushes up global temperatures and could increase the risks of extreme weather.
The company has been working around the clock to maintain reliable water supplies for customers across the region. This includes maximising water treatment works production, moving water around the network to where it is needed most and increasing leak detection and repairs.
Richard Stanbrook, Director for Drinking Water Services at Bristol Water, said: "After an extended period of exceptionally low rainfall, combined with sustained high demand during the warmer weather, our region's rivers are under significant pressure.
This is reflected in the Environment Agency’s decision to apply for a drought order on the River Severn, where we take a proportion of our water during the summer months.
The water resources we depend on, particularly the River Severn, support the wildlife, habitats and species that rely on water directly or indirectly, and it’s critical we all carefully balance public water use with water needed for our natural environment to thrive.
We take our responsibility for preserving the water environment very seriously and we know our customers do too. With next year predicted to be the warmest year on record, and with the added pressures from El Niño, we must all think about how we can protect the environment for future years, as well as today.
"Our teams have been working tirelessly to protect supplies for customers. We've maximised water production wherever possible, increased leak detection and repairs, moved water around our network and introduced a wide range of operational measures to make the best use of the water available.
"Introducing a hosepipe ban is never a decision we take lightly, and we fully appreciate the inconvenience it will cause. However, these temporary restrictions are an important step in helping to protect our rivers and essential water supplies for homes, businesses and critical services across the region.
"Every litre saved now will help protect our rivers and water resources while drought conditions continue. By making small changes to how we use water, our customers can make a real difference.”
Bristol Water is asking customers, businesses and visitors to the region to use water wisely by taking shorter showers, turning off taps while brushing teeth and only running washing machines and dishwashers with full loads.
The company will continue to monitor drought conditions and provide regular updates to customers.
For full details of the temporary restrictions, exceptions and advice on saving water, customers can visit www.bristolwater.co.uk/hosepipe-ban
