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London is suffering its lowest rainfall in 40 years. Thames Water says it will not be restricting supplies but with talk of hosepipe bans in the North-West, one of the wettest places in the UK and Birmingham and Manchester's supplier considering applying for a drought permit - how long can London escape? Officially the capital is "seriously water-stressed" according to the Environment Agency, meaning demand is risking outpacing supply. A Thames Water spokesman said a hosepipe ban was ‘unlikely’ this summer, but did not rule it out. The Met Office is reporting this June as one of the driest months on record, with temperatures reaching 30C last weekend. It is blaming the lack of rain on the lack of Atlantic weather bringing moisture to the UK. Positive Water Solutions are warning of standpipes and shared baths, even with next spring’s rain. The same group correctly predicted the coldest winter in 31 years. PWS senior forecaster Jonathan Powell said: "The worst-case scenario would be standpipes at the end of streets and the situation in some areas will be critical." Our long-range computer programme shows that, with a dry autumn and dry start to winter, there is a distinct possibility this year will be the driest on record. July, September and November will have normal levels of rain but this will not compensate for the lack of rain in other months. The foundations for problems are already there, as reservoir levels will continue to deplete, with even next spring’s rainfall not sufficient to top them up. There could be widespread drought orders and hosepipe bans, with measures used in 1976 repeated – people encouraged to share bathwater and not flush the toilet unless they really need to."
Industry insist stocks will hold
However, the water industry said its stocks would hold and that extreme water-saving measures would not be required. Barrie Clarke, communications director at Water UK, which represents water suppliers across the country, said: ‘We don’t see it like that at all at the moment. The situation is currently pretty reasonable.’ Thames Water said: "Our reservoirs are currently full, groundwater levels are healthy and we don't foresee having to impose any water restrictions at this time. That said, weather predictions are never entirely certain and we continue to encourage our customers to use water wisely. For our part, we have reduced leakage by 27 per cent in the last five years, providing greater resilience against drought." Thames Water leaked 700m litres of water last year - making pre-tax profits of £435m on income of £1.6bn. A spokesman said the firm had reduced leakages by 27 per cent in the past five years and is currently spending £1bn replacing Victorian pipes, which are estimated to leak about a third of water travelling from reservoirs to homes. British Waterways says levels are normal in East London's docks and canals, United Utilities, which supplies to cities including Manchester and Liverpool, said last week it may apply to the Environment Agency for a drought permit. Today it emerged it leaked 460m litres last year. The company says if there is not enough rain next week, a hosepipe ban will be imposed.
Desalination plant - 25 year plan in peril
Something the capital does have in reserve is the country's first large-scale desalination plant in the Thames estuary, opened only last month. The £270m Thames Gateway Water Treatment Works, at Beckton in east London, will, when needed, be able to provide an additional 150 million litres a day, enough for one million Londoners. Originally the plant would be used "during times of drought", but later the wording was changed to "mainly during times of drought". The plants that purifies seawater uses a lot of electricity and the company is aiming to cut its carbon footprint by 20% on 1990 levels by 2020. Critical to London's medium-term water supply is a five-week public inquiry currently underway. Environmentalists are pitted against Thames Water over a £1bn reservoir in Oxfordshire, its entire 25-year strategy to meet the demand of 8.5 million people in London and the Thames Valley is at risk and could be amended or resubmitted to the Government. Photo - Thames Water
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