R&R Life News
Drought declared in South-east
12:26pm Tuesday 21st February 2012
Bosses at Sutton and East Surrey Water have stressed essential public water supplies will be maintained throughout the summer despite a drought being declared this week.
The company, along with seven others in the South-east, made the promise in a joint statement to Secretary of State Caroline Spelman.
The companies said they were all prepared for a drought and had plans in place.
The statement was made in response to the Secretary of State’s declaration that a drought is affecting the South-east after significantly low rainfall for the second winter in a row.
During the last four months, from October to January, the South-east has received on average 73% of the rainfall it would normally expect.
It has been the driest October to January period since 1992.
Together with dry weather in the 12 months before, the figures mean that since October 2010, the region has received only 80% of average rainfall – a huge cumulative shortfall.
Many public water supplies in the South-east are groundwater-based and these resources depend on winter rainfall to replenish aquifers.
Two consecutive dry winters have led to groundwater levels dropping to very low levels.
Some of them, according to the Environment Agency, are at record low levels for January.
River flows are also well below average and several companies have experienced difficulty refilling reservoirs during the winter period.
Some are already using, or are applying for, Drought Permits or Orders which allow them to take more water from rivers than usual by agreement with the Environment Agency.
The region's water companies have told the Secretary of State that they are not running out of water, but if the situation does not dramatically improve within the next few weeks, they will need to put in place the drought measures set out in their drought plans.
As well as Drought Permits and Orders, the companies may need to bring in restrictions such as hosepipe or sprinkler bans and similar non-essential use restrictions, to protect essential supplies throughout the summer.
They are also considering ways with companies in the Anglian region in which to best share resources, urging customers to use water with care, and offering advice on water-saving measures on their websites.