HOUSEHOLDERS and businesses are being urged to conserve water following one of the driest Springs in the North West since records have been kept.
The warning comes from the Warrington-based regional office of the Environment Agency.
Over the last five months, rainfall has been below average right across the
Region and, as a result, the ground is relatively dry and river flows and
reservoirs are below the normal levels at this time of year.
Environment Agency monitoring shows that in April and May there was only 48 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively, of the rain normally expected.
This ranks as the fourth driest December to May period since records began in 1915.
A spokesman said: “The consequence of this is that our water supplies are lower than we would expect at this time of the year.
“In terms of predicted rainfall, current medium term weather forecasts indicate
more sunshine and showers rather than anything more persistent. This means
that any rainfall we may see over the coming weeks is unlikely to have a
major impact on river flows and particularly reservoir levels.”
The Agency is currently working closely with United Utilities – also based in Warrington – to ensure they have a consistent understanding of the situation.
The spokesman added: “We are currently monitoring the impact of this dry weather. Should it continue we will agree with UU which other water sources can be used to compensate for the low levels in their system, whilst ensuring there is no adverse impact on the environment.
“In terms of drought planning we are currently at ‘potential drought’ status, a
milestone that triggers a range of actions, including proactive communications
and briefings. At present, we have no reported significant environmental
impacts due to the dry weather. However, we will continue to monitor the
situation closely.”
The agency is urging everyone, including businesses and other organisations, to use water responsibly.
More about how to use water wisely can be found on the Environment Agency’s website www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/beinggreen
