Thames Water, the UK’s largest water supplier serving 16 million customers, is warning of potential hosepipe restrictions this summer due to an unusually dry spring. CEO Chris Weston has informed Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that, despite high reservoir levels, restrictions might be necessary depending on weather and rainfall patterns over the coming months.
Speaking to MPs, Weston said, “I am confident that we won’t run out of water, but I am not confident that we won’t have to restrict usage. That will depend entirely on what the weather does.” This caution follows England and Wales experiencing their driest March since at least 1961, raising concerns over reservoir capacities.
Currently, Thames Water’s reservoirs sit at 94% capacity, and the company has elevated its drought preparedness from level zero to level one—part of a four-tier plan designed to manage water supply in dry conditions. However, water loss remains a challenge, with an estimated 56 million liters lost daily due to leaks.
READ MORE: Churchdown Children Help Name Streets in New Eco-Friendly Housing Development
READ MORE: Cheltenham Explores Establishing Its Own Town Council Amid Local Government Reforms
Infrastructure investments have been slow to come online. A new reservoir planned for Oxfordshire won’t begin construction until 2028 and won’t be operational until the next decade. Meanwhile, the nation’s only water desalination plant, located in Beckton, East London, remains idle despite being capable of supplying potable water to hundreds of thousands during crises. Weston criticized the prior decision to invest in the desalination facility, suggesting resources could have been better allocated.
Reservoir levels nationally average 84%, but some key sites, such as Thirlmere and Haweswater in the Lake District, are alarmingly low at just 58% and dropping by up to 2% per week. Other water providers like United Utilities in the North West are already urging customers to conserve water as a precaution.
Weston also reflected on the company’s management challenges, noting, “Five chief executives in five years is not a recipe for success.” He emphasized that the water supply difficulties have built up over decades and that turning the company around is a substantial task requiring cooperation from all stakeholders.
Thames Water’s supply area covers approximately 13,000 square kilometers across parts of Gloucestershire to Kent and Essex. The company operates alongside several neighboring water and sewage providers to serve a broad customer base, reinforcing the importance of collective water management and conservation.