'No plans for hosepipe ban', says water company

A water company confirmed it currently had "no plans" to enforce a hosepipe ban in the East of England but said "we can all do our bit" to reduce water usage.

The Environment Agency warned water firms at the start of May that action would need to be taken to safeguard water supplies over the coming months.

It came after the Met Office confirmed this April was the sunniest in the UK since records began 115 years ago - with 47% more hours of sunshine than usual for the month.

Despite this, Anglian Water said it was not looking to restrict how much water households can use for so-called non-essential activities like washing cars.

"We currently have no plans for a hosepipe ban this summer, following a wet start to last winter and plenty of rain the year before," a spokesperson told the BBC.

"However, we can all do our bit to reduce how much we use, so we can manage demand for water when the weather heats up."

Although there is not currently a drought in England, the Environment Agency previously said there was a "medium risk" of one this summer.

The Met Office, meanwhile, reported parts of the region saw their sunniest March on record, with the UK experiencing its driest March conditions since 1961.

The drier temperatures left farmers concerned that their crops would struggle to grow, with some taking drastic action to mitigate the impact.

In April, for example, Elveden Farms, close to the border between Suffolk and Norfolk, said it was in the process of building its third water reservoir, costing about £3m.

Andrew Blenkiron, managing director, said: "It is a significant investment but we see it as one of the only ways that we're going to guarantee our supply of water throughout the season."

Residents in the region, however, seemed less concerned, instead embracing the warmer weather after an 18-month period between October 2022 and March 2024 which was England's wettest.

"I love it hot but it's not hot enough for me – I want it to be like Dubai," said Imogen Ainsley, while on a seafront walk in Felixstowe.

Her friend, Jo Elliot, agreed, and said she believed "people seemed happier" when the sun came out.

"It's just nice and it lifts everyone's spirits," she added.

Pensioner Roy Day also told the BBC he would prefer the weather to be even warmer – ideally at least 21C.

"I do not like the wet and I feel a lot better for seeing the sun," he said.

From a business point of view, Johnny Mannings, who runs Mannings Amusements and Beach Street in Felixstowe, said it "makes all the difference".

"You are at the mercy of the weather and the weather makes all the difference, it is probably the most important factor in how busy we are," he said.

Although Anglian Water is not looking to impose a hosepipe ban, it did say it was "never too soon to start being water-wise".

Here's the water company's top tips for saving water this summer:

• Leave a jug of tap water in the fridge to cool down rather than running the tap until it's cold. Make sure you stay safe and hydrated in the heat.

• If you've already filled the paddling pool for the day, don't empty it. You can save loads on your water bill by using gentle disinfectant tablets that keep the paddling pool water fresh for days. If you can't save the paddling pool for another day, make sure you reuse the water.

• Learn to love your brown lawn – leave the sprinkler in the shed this summer. Grass is extremely hard to kill. Your lawn will soon bounce back and be vibrant and green again once the rain comes.

• Use your bath or washing-up water to top up your water butt to use on your plants.

• Cutting showers to just five minutes a day can help save each household an approximate 7396 gallons (28,000 litres) of water and over £100 in energy and water every year.

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