After weeks of ‘unusually dry weather’ in the region, a drought has been declared across Yorkshire by the Environment Agency. Water levels in reservoirs are lower after England experienced the driest spring in more than 100 years, according to the Met Office. This comes after the last drought in 2022, when a hosepipe ban was put in place.
BBC reports that Yorkshire Water has warned that temporary restrictions on water could be introduced this summer if there is no significant rainfall in the next few months. West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire have seen just 40%, 43%, 40% and 41% of the average rainfall for March, April and May. Users are being encouraged to save water.
Claire Barrow, Yorkshire environment, planning and engagement manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Our climate is changing, and we had 22 days of almost no recorded rainfall in May. While we have had some rain at the start of June, it has not been enough to reverse the impacts of the prolonged dry weather. We are working with Yorkshire Water to make sure they enact their drought plans.”
Water Minister Emma Hardy said she is “doing everything in my power to hold Yorkshire Water to account to ensure we have the regular supply of water that is needed across the region”.
Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’ve seen water demand decrease in recent weeks thanks to the welcome rainfall and the efforts of our customers to save water. We had one of the driest springs on record, which has impacted our reservoir levels, meaning they are much lower than normal for this time of year. Without significant rainfall in the coming months, temporary usage restrictions are a possibility.”
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