Home / Environment / Thames Water Lifts Hosepipe Ban Thanks to Heavy Rainfall
Thames Water Lifts Hosepipe Ban Thanks to Heavy Rainfall
27 Nov
Summary
- A four-month hosepipe ban affecting over a million customers has been lifted.
- Above-average rainfall and customer conservation efforts led to the restriction's end.
- Customers are urged to continue conserving water to refill reservoirs for summer.
Thames Water has officially ended a hosepipe ban that was implemented four months ago, impacting approximately 1.1 million customers across Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. The decision to lift the restrictions comes after a period of above-average rainfall and commendable efforts by customers to conserve water supplies. This eased measure allows for more flexibility in water usage for affected households.
Nevil Muncaster, Thames Water's strategic water resources director, expressed gratitude to customers for their support in safeguarding water resources. He noted that recent rainfall has enabled the company to remove usage restrictions, although he stressed the importance of ongoing water conservation. This proactive approach aims to ensure that water levels in reservoirs are adequately maintained.
While Farmoor Reservoir near Oxford has recovered to a normal 90% storage level for this time of year, storage in London remains below average. The region experienced significantly less rainfall from March to August, but September, October, and November saw conditions improve, prompting the ban's removal. Customers are still advised to use water wisely to prepare for the summer.
