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Hosepipe Ban Looms as UK Heatwave Peaks at 34C
4 Jul
Summary
- Temperatures to reach 34C in Southeast England by Friday.
- Southern Water implements hosepipe ban in Hampshire and Isle of Wight.
- River levels are 25% lower than expected due to warm spring and heatwave.
Southern England is bracing for a severe heatwave, with temperatures forecast to climb from 29C on Sunday towards the low 30s next week. The Met Office predicts a peak of 34C in the South East by Thursday or Friday. This hot spell is expected to last about a week, though it will be less humid than the June heatwave.
In response to the strain on water resources, Southern Water has issued a hosepipe ban for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, commencing at 12:01 AM on July 10. River levels are currently 25% lower than anticipated, impacted by the warmest spring on record and a previous heatwave. The River Test has lost a third of its water in the past month.
The ban prohibits non-essential hosepipe use, including watering gardens, filling pools, and washing vehicles. Exemptions apply to customers on the priority services register who have medical or mobility needs, including blue badge holders and those on the WaterSure tariff. Southern Water aims to lift the ban once reservoirs, rivers, and aquifers have sufficient water levels. The Met Office previously recorded a provisional June temperature record of 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, surpassing the 1976 record by over 2C.
