Rainy reason to lift hosepipe ban

OLDHAM’S hosepipe ban was lifted today after a deluge of rain brought relief to parched reservoirs.

United Utilities has announced that the wet weather over the last month has allowed water resources to recover sufficiently.

But Pennine reservoir levels remain below average for the time of year and the company is still asking customers to use water wisely.

The ban across the North-West was imposed on July 9 after the driest December-to-June spell to hit the region in more than 70 years.

But rainfall records at the region’s reservoirs show that the last two weeks in July saw 180 per cent of average rainfall, while the first two weeks in August saw 75 per cent of average rainfall.

Richard Blackwell, of United Utilities, said: “We now have sufficient reservoir storage overall to be able to lift the ban.

“This will come as welcome news to our millions of customers, who have been extremely patient and conscientious in their water usage.

“Overall, the situation is much improved and the ban is no longer required to safeguard essential supplies.

“Although the ban is over, however, some of our reservoirs are still very low, so it’s important that people continue to do what they can to save water around the home and garden. Being water wise also helps protect the environment, whatever the weather.”

The company estimates that since the ban was introduced its customers saved a total of four billion litres of water — enough to provide more than 230 toilet flushes per household.

United Utilities still has a drought permit in place for Longdendale Valley, near Glossop, allowing the company to reduce the amount of water released by its Longdendale reservoir system into the River Etherow.

The company has yet to make use of the permit, and current reservoir levels mean that it is very unlikely to do so.

There are no plans to apply for any further drought permits.