Millions of people could spend their summer under a hosepipe ban after parts of England recorded the driest July for more than a century.
Water companies are warning they will have to implement drought measures if the conditions continue and there is not average or above-average rain in coming weeks.
Southern Water imposed the first hosepipe ban in mainland England for a decade on Friday, with almost 1 million people forced to limit their water usage from 5 August. Hours later, Thames Water warned it may have to follow suit if the weather remains dry.
These measures would mean a ban on filling paddling pools, watering gardens or washing cars. Thames has already suggested customers take shorter showers and turn off taps while brushing their teeth.
Thames, which provides water to 15 million people in London, Oxford and surrounding areas, has said it could implement similar measures if dry conditions continue. Experts at the Met Office expect below average rainfall for the rest of summer.
A spokesperson told the Guardian that demand had already outstripped water supply at times this summer.
“We know the water we have stored in our reservoirs will continue to reduce,” they said.
“So if we do not receive around or above average rainfall in the coming months, this will increase pressure on our resources and may indeed result in the need for more water-saving measures including restrictions.”
People in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be under the ban in order to protect the rivers Test and Itchen as they hit low levels owing to a lack of rain.
Government sources say this could be the first of a spate of drought measures announced across the UK as water levels in reservoirs and rivers drop. Most parts of England have not had drought measures implemented for more than a decade.
The Met Office expects the month of August to be dry in the south and south-east of England. July 2022 has been the driest July in England since 1911, with only 24% of the amount of rain that would normally be expected, it added.
Earlier this week, the government hosted an emergency drought meeting with farmers, water companies and other stakeholders to coordinate measures. The UK has experienced record dry conditions, with rainfall at its lowest since the 1970s.
Last week’s record-breaking heatwave baked the soil, leading farmers to increase irrigation for crops and increasing the rate of evaporation from waterways.
But they could be banned from watering their crops in the crucial August-September period, with root vegetables such as potatoes under particular threat. Crops could fail through lack of water, and dry soil can make harvesting difficult.
Dr Alison Hoyle, the director of risk and compliance at Southern Water, said the decision “was not taken lightly”.
She added: “We know the temporary use ban will have an impact on our customers.
“We’re working with the Environment Agency to ensure that we act responsibly to protect our environment. We’re asking everyone in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to do their bit by supporting these measures and only use the water that they need.
“We’re experiencing one of the driest years on record for over a century and we’ve seen record temperatures. River flows are approximately 25% lower than they should be for July, which is equivalent to losing more than 25m bathtubs of water.”
These difficulties could become a regular feature of British summers, according to Mark McCarthy from the Met Office. He said: “Met Office climate change projections highlight an increasing trend towards hotter and drier summers for the UK, with the driest regions anticipated to be in the south and east.”
The Environment Agency said more precautionary measures were likely to be taken to combat water supply problems in the near future, and urged other water companies to implement hosepipe bans.
It said: “Decisions to introduce temporary bans prohibiting hosepipe use during periods of extreme dry weather are made by water companies.
“The Environment Agency is working with water companies and other abstractors to protect water resources and ensure they take precautionary action so the needs of water users and the environment are met. “If you suspect an environmental incident, such as fish struggling in rivers or pollution, please call our 24-hour incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.”
