HOSEPIPE bans affecting 15million homes will stay in place until next year – despite weeks of heavy downpours.
Bosses of Thames Water and Yorkshire Water say the soggy September has not topped up reservoirs after a parched summer.
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The bans came into effect late last month after drought was officially declared across most of England following the driest July for 50 years.
It means it’s against the law to use hosepipes for cleaning windows, washing cars and watering the garden, as well as filling swimming and paddling pools.
Thames Water, which supplies 10million homes in London and southern parts of England, said it will likely stay in place all through the winter.
The firm’s water demand manager Andrew Tucker said reservoirs were still low despite recent rain.
And there is no date for lifting the ban.
Mr Tucker told the BBC: “We are still trying to recover from a really tough year that Mother Nature threw at us.
“Ten of the last 12 months have been below average rainfall.
“We’ve had a little bit in September and we can see the grass is now greening up but an average September doesn’t make up for ten months of dry and record heat.”
Mr Tucker said it was a national issue, with most of England and Wales still declared as in drought by the National Environment Agency.
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He added: “We’ve got to make sure that we’ve got enough water going forward for everyone in the longer term.”
Thames Water said reservoirs were still at their lowest levels since 2003.
It added: “Despite recent rain, rivers across our region are well below their average level and reservoirs are down by as much as 25 per cent.”
Meanwhile Yorkshire Water said the region’s reservoirs have plunged to 35 per cent of average levels and one is only 20 per cent full.
Director of water Neil Dewis said: “I think the hosepipe ban will remain in place for several more months and if it is a dry winter it will be there well into next year.
“The bottom line is we will have some rain this winter and reservoirs will recover.
“But Yorkshire Water is focused on next spring and summer.
“Because even if we get a normal amount of winter rainfall, that will only lift reservoirs up to 60 to 70 per cent by spring.
“And if that’s the case and we have another dry, hot summer, we could really face some serious consequences.”
Seven companies introduced hosepipe bans last month – affecting 29.4million customers across the UK.
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Anyone breaching the ban could be fined £1,000.
But there are also “crazy” loopholes – meaning some people can still water their lawns and even fill a hot tub under restrictions.
