If little rain, drought-hit England could face ‘dreadful’ 2023 summer
- London set for hosepipe ban from August 24 after water company warned that water resources are ‘depleted’
- England, which recorded its driest July since 1935, is officially in a drought across vast swathes of the country
In London, saving water is taking on a sense of urgency amid the driest and hottest summer in decades. That’s because next year could be worse.
From next Wednesday, people in Britain’s capital will be banned from using hosepipes – commonly used to water gardens, wash cars and fill up paddling pools – as water restrictions kick in.
The ban potentially marks the first of more water saving measures to come, after a drought was declared in most parts of England last week.
The declaration followed England’s driest July since 1935, and after temperatures breached 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time.
Once green parks, gardens and fields are now parched and brown after the first six months of the year saw the least amount of rainfall since 1976.
With low rainfall forecast for the coming months, water companies are taking steps to protect water supplies to avert a potential bigger crisis next summer.
