Cumbrian towns and villages hit by hosepipe ban
Last updated at 08:54, Wednesday, 07 July 2010
Penrith and Keswick will be placed under a hosepipe ban on Friday as United Utilities looks to preserve water levels.
The dry summer has led to water levels in lakes and reservoirs around Cumbria falling dramatically.
Thirlmere, which provides water for Keswick, is down to 40 per cent of its normal level while Haweswater, which feeds Penrith, is down to 54 per cent.
From 6am on Friday, United Utilities will impose a ban on people washing cars or watering gardens using hosepipes in various towns and villages around Cumbria and Lancashire.
They include, Penrith, Keswick, Barrow, Appleby, Shap, Millom, Kirkby Thore, Pooley Bridge, Greystoke and Brough.
John Sanders, United Utilities’ water regulation and strategy manager, said: “Despite some recent rainfall in the north of the region, reservoir levels are still significantly lower than we would expect at this time of year and are now at a point where we need to impose some temporary restrictions on our customers.
“It is not a decision we have taken lightly, but a hosepipe can use as much water in an hour as a family of four would use in one day.
“This ban will help us to safeguard essential water supplies to our customers if the drought continues.”
He added that the ban was designed to help conserve the remaining supplies in the event of the drought extending into the autumn.
Carlisle, which is fed by Castle Carrock reservoir and the River Eden, will not be affected by the ban. Nor will the west of the county, including Workington and Whitehaven, or the north of Eden district, which is fed by underground bore holes.
However, Mr Sanders added that those areas should still consider how best to use water to prevent similar measures being introduced.
He said: “We are asking our customers to please observe the hosepipe ban and do what they can to save water in other areas of their daily lives.
“There are some simple things we can all do such as turning off the tap while brushing your teeth and running washing machines and dishwashers with a full load.”
As well as the lakes and reservoirs, the lack of rain is impacting on wildlife.
United Utilities hosepipe ban video (article continues below)
Young fish, crayfish and eels in becks are seeing areas drying up and the Environment Agency is attempting to shore up the problem with officers on the ground.
Simon Johnson, director of Eden Rivers Trust, which cares for the rivers Eden, Eamont and Petteril, as well as various becks and streams throughout the county, said: “Small becks are the engine rooms of the whole catchment and where spawning takes place for our rivers.
“If they dry up the fish may be able to migrate elsewhere, but if this dry spell carries on the impact could affect the fish population of the catchment as a whole. It is a worrying situation.”
“It’s frustrating, as we are sitting here waiting for things to get better, but it’s a natural occurrence.”
- You can find out if you are in an area affected by the ban by entering your postcode into the search facility on the United Utilities website.
- United Utilities guide to using water wisely is here
First published at 14:51, Tuesday, 06 July 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
Stuart Black,
You cannot tell the amount of water left in a lake simply by looking at how far it has receded from the shore, especially if you cannot see how deep it is.If the lake was circular and of an even depth (like a bucket) then you could easily see how depth correlates to volume remaining. However, a lake is like a shallow 'V' shape, Being 'half full' is not halfway in depth, it is, as you have pointed out, about 20% of the way down.People need to understand the geography of water management before commenting. Unless you are aware of the mechanics of water tables, rainfall run-off and how the hydrological cycle works, then leave the decisions upto those who do.Just be thankfull you get clean drinking water, straight to your home for a (relatively) low cost.View all 28 comments on this article
Have your say
Dave - somebody had already put up a comment with the information advising Manchester was also included in the ban. Why would the News and Star want to include that detail? They would rather people argued and moaned.
As far as washing out bottles and cans for recycling - it is common sense to also recycle your washing up water rather than run water specially.
Posted by K on 15 July 2010 at 12:32