No hosepipe ban in 2025, says water firm

Severn Trent Water has announced there will be no hosepipe ban this year, despite a new record for the hottest start to any May on record.

The last time such a ban was imposed by the company was in 1995.

At the time, it meant people in affected areas were unable to use hosepipes to water gardens, clean their cars or fill paddling pools.

A spokesperson for the water firm said: "We've not had a hosepipe ban for 30 years. Despite one of the warmest April's in over 100 years, we're confident that record will continue this summer as we deliver two billion litres of water to 4.6 million homes every single day."

Howard Perry, from Severn Trent Water, which supplies people in much of the Midlands, said: "Lots of activity and investment is going into the network to avoid a hosepipe ban.

"We have seen the impact of climate change in terms of hotter and drier summers. If we look at our longer term trends, we can see that.

"Our plans are to invest to make sure that we don't have to reduce supplies to customers.

"We've got £1.1bn going in over the next five years on water supply schemes, we're reducing the amount we take from the environment and we're reducing leakage by another 16 per cent over the next five years.

"We're also doing proactive mains renewal, we're investing £400m in that."

However the company is urging customers to still be mindful of their water usage.

Mr Perry said: "Do use water wisely. Every leak that you've got on your property can use tens, hundreds, thousands of litres that other people could be using.

"Some of the big garden uses of water like jet washes and hoses, there's much more sensible ways such as using watering cans that will help make sure there's enough water around for everybody."

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.