The county has experienced the hottest summer on record, Yorkshire Water said
Reservoir levels now sit at just 30.6%, dropping 2.01% from last week — well below the 71.7% average for this time of year — according to Yorkshire Water. This follows the UK receiving just 44% of its expected annual rainfall so far this year, compared to a typical average of 67% by this stage in the year.
Patches of heavy rain in parts of Yorkshire over the last seven days have helped to slow the fall of groundwater and reservoir stocks. However, levels still declined over the last week, as water demand remained at over 1.2 billion litres per day.
The county has also experienced the hottest summer on record, following a record-breaking spring. Both of which contributed to Yorkshire being declared in drought status.
Dave Kaye, Yorkshire Water’s director of water services, said: “Our reservoirs are feeling the impact of drought in the region, following the driest spring and warmest summer on record. Whilst we’ve been starting to see a little more rain with the beginning of autumn, the majority has been taken up by the extremely dry ground, and plants and trees.
“The rain has helped river and groundwater levels in some areas, which will allow us to abstract from watercourses to take the strain off our reservoirs. This, combined with drought orders and permits that have been granted on the Ouse, Wharfe and 19 reservoirs in the south and north-west of the region, will help to reduce the burden on reservoirs and enable reservoirs to recover quicker in the autumn and winter.
“The weather is working more in our favour than it has previously, but we’re counting on a sustained period of wet weather coming. Whilst we’re keeping a keen eye on these forecasts; we’re also focusing on bringing leaking down – fixing over 800 every week – and are incredibly grateful to customers who have helped domestic water usage to reduce by 10%.”
In July, Yorkshire Water announced hosepipe restrictions due to lower levels of rainfall and increased demand for water across the region. Activities such as using a hosepipe to water a garden, cleaning walls or windows using a hosepipe and using a hosepipe to clean vehicles were banned.
There are a number of restrictions in place. Click here to read more about what you can and can’t do.
Speaking at the time of the ban, Yorkshire Water’s director of water, Dave Kaye, said: “These restrictions are intended to make sure that we have enough supply for the essential needs of people across the region this year and next, as well as making sure we’re able to protect our local environment. With more dry weather forecast in the coming weeks, it is likely our stocks will continue to fall so we need to act now to maintain clean water supplies and long-term river health.
“Having restrictions in place also allows us to apply for drought permits from the Environment Agency, which means we can abstract more water from our rivers and reduce compensation flows out of our reservoirs so that we can continue to provide the water our customers rely on us for.
“The restrictions will come into effect on 11 July and will be in place until the region has seen significant rainfall to bring reservoirs and groundwater stocks back to where they need to be. This may last into the winter months, but we will lift the usage restrictions as soon as we are able.”
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