Most of UK rivers on “red alert”, according to the UK Center for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), as activists say, “our rivers dying” as well as call for immediate nationwide hose bans.
Water companies have come under fire this summer for their obvious failure to plan for drought and deal with their pipes are flowing. Sarah Bentley, Executive Director of Thames Water received £496,000. bonus last year, which is almost double in performance related payout for the previous year and also a salary increase to £750,000 from £438,000. in 2020-21, annual reports show.
Springs at Thames Water ruled out ban on the use of hoses announced this weekend, despite the dry status of rivers in the south of England.
Most water companies have off from the prohibition of excessive use of water, such as watering gardens and washing cars with hoses, but river experts hope UKCEH’s August forecasts will spur them into action. Rivers Trust blamed water companies of waiting until last minute to complete bans so that avoid negative customer reactions. So far, only two, South Water and South East Water, have announced hose bans.
Last month was the driest month of July in England for more over 100 years, and in some areas the summer was the driest on record. According to latest forecasts, rivers set in the worst drought warning level throughout the country, even in areas where it rained in recent weeks. For many, the flow will almost certainly be the lowest ever. century.
Forecasts show major rivers, including the Avon and Waven, flow more slower than during a drought in 2011 and 2006 when there were hose lines bans in place in many areas of country. Rivers in Scotland, including the Tyne and the Tweed, are projected to have a large flow. more slower than usual.
Next week, government and UKCEH will prepare a report based on on these predictions that will analyze how terrible situation in United Kingdom, with the rivers dry up.
Activists hope an urgent action plan will be drawn up in place, with concerns that rivers might face long-term the effects of not of water.
Last month, the Environment Agency’s National Drought Control Group, made up of agricultural groups, environment experts and representatives government agencies, met to discuss the answer. They were supposed to meet in October but rescheduled forward due to difficult conditions. Nonetheless government does not impose a hose bansleaving it to the water companies. Maybe give advice and urged for take further action.
But charities don’t think it’s good enough. Josh Jones a senior technical analyst at the Rivers Trust, said: “This just shows we need exercise control. Without control demand when there is a limited offer, we head for rivers and wildlife in river flow for hard time. We need slow down of water in rivers in in first place and replenish soil moisture, and we need more wetlands that also store water. Water companies should put the hose bans in place all over the country and they should be a professional active not hindsight, it problem was brewing for for a long time. Even if you look at an average of 12 months, this is below average rainfall for the country. This problem was predictable.”
representative for The Angling Trust said “Let’s not sugarcoat it, our rivers dying. The situation is farcical, predictable and completely result of our humiliated failure plan right in this country. Did not have new storage tank built in southern England since 1976, randomly answering last severe drought, but since then millions more people live here and using more as well as more water. As the effects of climate change are felt here and now, government and the water companies knew it was happening. However, they prioritize profit over needs of our environment and wildlife.”
Effects for nature can be terrible because of this shortcoming of action, he added. He said, “We’re seeing growth amount of fish kills reportedly starving of oxygen and lack of water, and have to cope with this is on top of pollution pouring into our rivers. And absence of water killing our chalk streams, for which we have global responsibility to protect. A lot of of them, from Panga in Berkshire to Ver in Hertfordshire no longer flow on long stretches of their upper reaches, some of the most important habitats for wildlife.
“Decrease demand and hose insertion bans is an important. We in drought, it’s a crisis, we all need to play our part. But everything of it just adhesive plaster. What we are experiencing is new ordinary. We need urgent action and a much faster response from government regulators and water companies.”
Thames Water told The Guardian that his teams worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to keep the water flowing, but if the drought persists, water-saving measures, including restrictions, may be needed. The company has a statutory drought plan and has implemented first scene of this plan in May, which was media campaign with water saving tips.
” next scene of planned to introduce a temporary use a ban that will likely include hoses. Deadlines will depend on in amount of water used by our customers, which determines speed at which the volume of the reservoir decreases, and amount of flow in rivers that define how a lot of water that we can take to fill them,” Thames Water said.
it added: “Customers can really help us with it’s long-term planning for using water wisely – only using that they are absolutely need”.
The Guardian turned to Defra for comment.
