UK drought: Severn Trent provides update on hosepipe ban risk for East Midlands ahead of August heatwave

Severn Trent says it is “confident” that a hosepipe ban for the East Midlands can be avoided this summer, despite forecasters predicting scorching temperatures over the coming days.

The East Midlands officially entered drought last month after an unusually dry spring, with many rivers and reservoirs across the region recording low levels of water.

Four water companies, including Yorkshire Water, introduced a hosepipe ban in July due to a lack of rain during the first half of the year.

Anyone caught breaking the rules could be hit with a £1,000 fine.

That wasn’t the case here in Nottinghamshire, but Severn Trent has been asking customers to be mindful about their water usage amid low rainfall.

With forecasters predicting that temperatures of 30C will hit Nottinghamshire next week, fears of a hosepipe ban are growing.

Severn Trent ‘confident’ that a hosepipe ban can be avoided

Severn Trent, which covers a huge area stretching from Staffordshire across the East Midlands, has not issued a hosepipe ban since the summer of 1995.

Despite little rain forecast over the next two weeks, Severn Trent remains “confident” that a first hosepipe ban in three decades for the East Midlands can be avoided.

A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “We hope everyone is enjoying the summer – perhaps enjoying a great day out at one of our visitor sites, or spending time with family in the garden, while of course still using water carefully – storing rain when it pours in a water butt, or watering plants with paddling pool water when it’s finished with.

“Throughout the summer we have teams working around the clock, moving water around the network to ensure taps keeps flowing.

“We haven’t issued a hosepipe ban in 30 years and we’re confident that our great track record will continue this summer and beyond.

“We’re investing record amounts in new pipes, finding and fixing more leaks than ever and upgrading and developing new treatment works, adding hundreds of millions of litres of drinking water into our network.”