Yorkshire hosepipe ban: drought declared as 'nationally significant incident'
The dry weather in Yorkshire and other parts of the country has led to the National Drought Group describing current water levels as a “nationally significant incident”.
The NDG - which includes the Met Office, the government, regulators, water companies, the National Farmers’ Union and others – met yesterday to discuss the ongoing crisis.
Yorkshire is one of five areas that are officially in drought, while Yorkshire Water was the first firm to declare a hosepipe ban to tackle the low water levels.
It said the hosepipe ban was needed with the county’s reservoirs sitting at 56 per cent capacity. This is well below the normal level of 82 per cent at this time of year.
Shocking photos have shown reservoirs appearing to be on the verge of drying out with incredibly low amounts of water.
Yorkshire Water has said that about 10 per cent less water is being used than before the hosepipe ban came into effect, which was praised by the NDG.
The group’s chair Helen Wakeham, who is also the Environment Agency’s director of water, said: “The current situation is nationally significant, and we are calling on everyone to play their part and help reduce the pressure on our water environment.
“Water companies must continue to quickly fix leaks and lead the way in saving water. We know the challenges farmers are facing and will continue to work with them, other land users, and businesses to ensure everyone acts sustainably.
“We are grateful to the public for following the restrictions, where in place, to conserve water in these dry conditions.”
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos, who runs a beef and sheep farm in Ripponden, said the dry weather could potentially be “financially devastating” for farm businesses.
“British farmers and growers continue to face extremely dry conditions, with harvest underway and crop yields proving mixed across the country.
“Some farms are reporting significant drop in yields which is financially devastating for the farm business and could have impacts for the UK’s overall harvest.
“Farming is a long-term industry and there is growing concern about the months ahead. Minimal grass growth means many livestock farmers are already tapping into winter feed stocks, raising the risk of higher production costs later in the year.
“Access to clean, reliable water is essential for food production.”