Severn Trent, the water supplier serving Gloucester and Cheltenham, has announced that it has not imposed any hosepipe restrictions at present, despite the ongoing drought conditions following weeks of hot, dry weather. The company is, however, encouraging customers to use water prudently as the region continues to recover from five consecutive heatwaves this summer.
The prolonged period of high temperatures has prompted drought declarations across many parts of the UK. Several water companies in the South West, including South West Water, Wessex Water, and Thames Water, have introduced hosepipe bans to manage water resources. Contrastingly, Bristol Water, catering to parts of South Gloucestershire, has yet to implement such measures.
Severn Trent explained that although river and reservoir levels are below the expected average for this time of year, their water supply strategy does not rely solely on reservoirs. Consequently, there is currently no necessity for hosepipe bans.
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A spokesperson for Severn Trent commented: “This summer has seen record water demand due to five heatwaves and rainfall amounts below five per cent of the average in our region. It is understandable why the area is officially in drought status.
“As anticipated, our rivers and reservoirs are lower than desired for this season, underscoring the importance of water conservation. Despite occasional localised showers, we continue recovering from prolonged dry conditions.
“Our teams are working tirelessly to treat more water, transfer supplies across the region where needed, and repair leaks at unprecedented levels.
“Therefore, we urge our customers to be mindful of their water consumption and use it wisely to help avoid any future restrictions as the record hot and dry weather persists.”