Hosepipe ban risk update from Severn Trent as water reservoir levels drop below half capacity for first time in years
Severn Trent remains "confident" that Shropshire residents will not endure a hosepipe ban for the first time in 30 years, despite water storage levels falling below half capacity.
For the first time since at least January 2023, when online records begin, the overall water storage across the company’s reservoir network fell below the 50 per cent mark this week.
Severn Trent’s reservoirs have a combined capacity of 247,708 million litres, but figures published on Monday (September 1) showed the reservoirs are holding just 119,777 million litres of water - 48.4 per cent of maximum capacity.
The figure also represents a two-percentage-point decrease from the previous data set on August 25, when overall storage levels were at 50.4 per cent.
Water storage levels have declined throughout the summer amid continued hot and dry spells. However, despite the drop, Severn Trent has reassured customers across the West Midlands and surrounding areas that it has no current plans to introduce a hosepipe ban, something not seen in the region for more than 30 years.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: "We hope everyone enjoyed the summer - whether at one of our visitor sites, or with the family in the garden, while of course still using water carefully - storing rain when it pours in a water butt, or watering plants with paddling pool water when it’s finished with.
"Throughout the summer we’ve had teams working around the clock, moving water around the network to ensure taps keeps flowing. We haven’t issued a hosepipe ban in 30 years and we’re confident that our great track record will continue this year.
"We’re investing record amounts in new pipes, finding and fixing more leaks than ever and upgrading and developing new treatment works, adding hundreds of millions of litres of drinking water into our network."
At this time last year (September 2, 2024) the overall water storage level at Severn Trent's reservoirs stood at 72.1 per cent.
Furthermore, on September 4 of 2023, reservoirs within the company's network were at 80 per cent capacity.
The latest rainfall and river flow figures from the Environment Agency, covering the week of August 20 to 26, reported another "dry week" across England, with rainfall totals ranging from 3mm in northwest and south-west England to less than 1mm across the rest of the country.
As of August 26, rainfall totals for the month of August ranged from 28 per cent of the long-term average (LTA) in north-west England to just 4 per cent of the LTA in south-east England.
Meanwhile, data on daily mean river flow, based on historic averages and categorised by flow percentile indicated that the upper Severn was "notably low", while the River Wye was classed as "exceptionally low".
The Met Office has said "unsettled conditions" are set to continue across the UK this week.
For Wednesday (September 3) the Met Office forecast for Shropshire reads: "A band of cloud and rain clears north, with some heavy downpours at times. Brighter skies to follow, though further scattered, blustery showers are likely, again heavy at times."
The outlook for Thursday to Saturday added: "Scattered, blustery showers for many on Thursday, but some brighter spells too. More settled from Friday; dry for many with a few sunny spells, though still breezy at times."
