UNITED Utilities have announced they are going to introduce a temporary hosepipe ban across most of the North West on August 5.

The announcement was made on the water supplier's website and social media channels this morning.

In the statement it is claimed that 'the lack of rain and high demand for water means that our reservoirs are now lower' than they would like for this time of year.

It added: "This means you won’t be allowed to use either a hosepipe or sprinkler as they use an incredible amount of water.

"We know hosepipe bans can be inconvenient but by taking these steps now we can make sure we have enough water for more essential things like drinking, washing and cooking."

The main restrictions will include:

  • Watering a garden and/or plants using a hosepipe
  • Cleaning a private car, van, motorbike, trailer, caravan or leisure boat using a hosepipe
  • Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming pool, paddling pool or ornamental fountain
  • Cleaning walls or windows using a hosepipe
  • Using a water from a hosepipe for domestic recreational use
  • Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
  • Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.

You can still use water outdoors if you:

  • Use tap water to fill a bucket or watering can
  • Use grey water, which is water that’s been used before ie bath water
  • Have your own water supply such as a private borehole.

In the meantime people are being told to avoid using 'garden sprinklers and hosepipes to water your lawns at this time it really will make a big difference.

"Please use a watering can instead or, even better, reuse any water from the home such as water from washing up bowls or bath water.

"Whatever you can do to reduce your water usage will help to make sure there is enough water for everyone.

"For more ways to save water visit our tips page, where you can also order FREE water saving gadgets to help you reduce water wastage in the home."

Martin Padley, United Utilities water services director, said: "Despite some recent rainfall, reservoir levels are still lower than we would expect at this time of year and, with forecasters predicting a return to hot dry weather for the rest of July, we are now at a point where we will need to impose some temporary restrictions on customers.


"It is not a decision we have taken lightly and we are enormously grateful to customers for having helped reduce the demand on our network over the last couple of weeks, but unless we get a period of sustained rainfall before August 5 these restrictions will help us safeguard essential water supplies for longer."

The ban restricts the use of hosepipes or sprinklers for watering private gardens and washing private cars but customers will still be able to water their gardens with a watering can and wash their vehicles using a bucket and sponge, the firm said, which uses a fraction of the amount of water a hosepipe or sprinkler uses.

A hosepipe uses 540 litres an hour, as much as a family-of-four would use in one day, while a sprinkler left running overnight uses as much water as a family-of-four would use in one week, according to United Utilities.

A hosepipe ban can reduce water usage by 5-10%, according to research by United Kingdom Water Industry Research, which in the North West would amount to over 100 million litres per day.

United Utilities said the ban was alongside the company's efforts to maintain essential supplies, including maximising water abstraction from ground water supplies, moving water around its regional integrated network of pipes and running a campaign to encourage customers to use water wisely.

Carlisle district and the north-eastern corner of Eden district are exempt because they receive their water from discrete supply network zones fed by local water sources which have not been so badly affected by the overall lack of rainfall, the firm said.

Water resource levels in these zones are considered adequate but the zones are not connected to the integrated network which serves the rest of the region.

Customers can find out whether they are in an area affected by the ban, and get more information on water saving tips, by entering their postcode into the search facility at www.unitedutilities.com.