The UK may face a hosepipe ban because the winter has been unusually dry, warns the Environment Agency. Some parts of England have only seen a quarter of the normal rainfall over the past four months, the agency says.
Some reservoirs are just 56% full, compared with a usual 95% for this time of year.
With the peak gardening season about to begin, the Agency is urging gardeners to practise restraint when watering lawns and flowerbeds.
Is a hosepipe ban necessary?
This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.
The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:
As the water suppliers lose far, far more water from their leaking and poorly maintained main service pipes than gardeners use, it seems harsh to tell us we can't use hosepipes. If they got their ramshackle supply infrastructure sorted out, the reservoirs would be overflowing.
Chris B, Bedford, England It is high time the water companies stopped praying for rain and took steps to secure new sources of water and places to store it. If this means raising the level of some rivers or flooding a valley, then so be it.
Mark , Stafford UK
I think on the whole my water supplier does a really good job. It's one of those invisible services isn't it. Yet to move the water from where it is to where I want it costs a fortune. It's one of the few utilities I don't begrudge paying for. The community/poll tax/charge does far less and for way more. On the whole I approve of what I get for my money and still think it's good value.
Paul, Basingstoke, UK
Simple question is who will enforce any hosepipe ban? We can't maintain or enforce many, if any of our laws and byelaws.
Robert , Preston, UK
 |  It isn't the fault of "mismanagement" on the water company's part, but the mismanagement of all of us |
This wouldn't happen if everyone in the country were put on a water meter. If people had to pay for every drop of water, and not one fixed sum for however much they want, they would think twice about filling the bath to the top, or chucking litres on gardens they hardly use. Yes water is lost while in storage, but what do you expect: the companies to redirect the sun? It isn't the fault of "mismanagement" on the water company's part, but the mismanagement of all of us, in the UK, in our own homes.
Jodie, Brighton I grew up in Hong Kong and had the experience of four hours of water supply every four days in 1962. Plenty of tips to pass on to you folks. By the way, I have been doing the same thing here in your country regardless of whether there is a drought warning. Here goes:
1. Get several cheap plastic tubs and containers to store waste water for flushing toilets.
2. Save water used for face and hand washing, washing clothes, floors and general cleaning.
3. Wear dark coloured clothes more.
4. Obvious things like check for leaking taps and don't let taps run needlessly.
5. Do not take bath with too much water; shower instead.
Helen Young, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
More and more people and houses all the time, of course there will be water shortages.
Chris, UK
Is this because of the warmer, wetter winters we're supposed to be getting due to global warming?
Peter H, Bristol, UK
| In a world where many routinely have to walk miles to get a few litres of bacteria-laden water for drinking, it is obscene that so many people here feel hard-done-by |
Get a grip, everyone. It only seems to take a spot of rain to fall for people to start commenting about "how much rain" we're having - neglecting the high population density and profligacy that seems to be taken for granted in this country. Especially in a world where many routinely have to walk miles to get a few litres of bacteria-laden water for drinking, it is obscene that so many people here feel hard-done-by if they can't automatically lavish endless drinking-quality water on ornamental gardens.
Liz, London, UKWith increased homebuilding comes not only higher consumption but also reduced catchment, as run-off enters the drains directly, rather than soaking into the ground. I suggest we invest, for the long term, in water-permeable alternatives to tarmac.
Mike Bond, Warwickshire, UK
As a motorcyclist, I can count on one hand the number of dry weekends we've had since December. This time last year we were being told that floods, gales and torrential rain were the new norm thanks to global warming. Is it any wonder the public don't listen any more?
Dan, Yateley, UK
About four years ago I was employed by one of the larger water companies. One of my duties involved measuring the water leakage from our broken pipes. My employer was the second worst offender at the time - despite leaking almost 30% of all our collected water through broken (badly maintained) pipes! Rumours circulating at the time suggested that one water authority was losing 50% of all its water through leaking pipes. I've been out of the industry for a few years now. Is anyone in the industry brave enough to update everyone on the current percentage lost through broken (badly maintained) pipes?
Mark, Berkshire, UK
| It's the water companies job to get the water where it's needed |
A hosepipe ban is fine, as long as we just pay water-rates, as this isn't connected to usage. As far as I am concerned anyone with a meter can use as much they are able to pay for, and any reduction in service (such as a ban on hosepipes) requires compensation. It's the water companies job to get the water where it's needed.
Bruce, Bucks We have never ever run out water (even in 1976). This is just an excuse for the water boards to look busy and justify their huge price increases.
Lucy Bird, Southampton, Hants
The solution is very simple. Put every household on a water meter regardless. Only then will people only use what is necessary. It will make people think twice when leaving a sprinkler on all night, for example. We should not listen to those who claim large families and poverty as an excuse. We all, no matter what our level of income, budget for use of electricity and gas which is billed according to use. Why should water be any different? It is time people realised the basic fact of life, you use it, you pay for it.
Karen, Milton Keynes, UK
| Why haven't the government invested in water desalination plants |
This is not a new problem. I have only one question: why haven't the government invested in water desalination plants, especially for the more over-populated and over-built areas? If they were serious about environmental issues, this should have been done years ago. Oh yes, I forgot, this is just an election issue!
Dee, Ballycastle, NIAs with all these types of problem, 18 years of the Conservative government not investing in public services is finally catching up with us. Plus they were the government that told us we were failures if we used a bus after our 25th birthday, and that a car showed we had "made it" in life. What we did make was lots of pollution that altered the climate, and since we voted for lower taxes the public utilities were hung out to dry....
Andrew, London, UK
If the water company cannot provide me with water to water my lawn, can I please have a refund? The way this country panic whenever we have one sunny day and bans people from watering their lawn amuses me. I know I can't be the only one who hears the hosepipe ban on the news and immediately goes and waters the lawn just to amuse myself! What are they honestly going to do? Arrest me?! What a waste of police time!
Clara, Hampstead, London
Maybe if the companies used some of the increase in charges to repair the leaky pipes, instead of bonuses to bosses and shareholders, the ban might not be needed.
Steven Harbron, Southend, UK
| As most people don't have metered supplies there is no incentive to preserve water |
Water and sewerage charges are incredibly good value but as most people don't have metered supplies there is no incentive to preserve water. Time for compulsory metering.
MQ, London When you go to Las Vegas in the summer with temperatures of over 100 degrees in the middle of a desert there is never a water shortage - just think of all the 1000's of hotel rooms apart from the large residential area. USA are always better at organising their lives than the British.
J Milla, London, UK
If supplies are running low, then a hosepipe ban would of course be necessary. That said, if the water companies cannot "deliver the goods" should prices continue to rise as they are? My water bill is set to rise by 17% this year! Good value? I think not!
Clive Ansell, Wythall, UK
Yes, a hosepipe ban is necessary, thanks to our own usual selfishness as a species by doing nothing but take from the environment. Water is not a finite commodity, but humans persist in treating it as such, especially the rich ones, i.e. us, the British amongst others. Just turn on a tap and expect it to pour forth no matter how much we want. Wake up and smell the coffee, people, shortages are caused by our own profligate over-use, as are the floods by our own environmental vandalism. Private swimming pools in back gardens, ponds, dishwashers, massive use by industry. Are we learning yet? Unfortunately not.
Mark Rotherham, Colchester, UK
I don't think a hosepipe ban is necessary at all - it will be over-optimistic to think that we will have a beautiful, warm, dry summer! Environment agencies baffle me - one minute we are suffering floods, the next they start calling for hosepipe bans.
Bhupinder Kahlon, London, UK
With this sort of warning we can now look forward to excessive rainfall and flooding in April and May!
Dave, Leeds, UK
| Sensible and environmentally considerate gardeners have water butts |
Hundreds of millions could be spent on a storage solution, but given the few days bans are in place these days it would be a waste of money. Sensible and environmentally considerate gardeners have water butts for just such circumstances.
Chris, London UK Visited the south of Italy last year and in the Gardens adjoining the hotel hose pipes were being used all day to water the plants. How come the Italians have enough water despite being in the south of Europe yet we in the North don't?
Al Smith, Cardiff, UK
How do the water companies and the Government get away with such obvious mismanagement? The Government are culpable for not just allowing but encouraging the building of homes without attention to infrastructure, and the water companies, a large number of which are foreign-owned, are far more focused on profit levels than water levels. What do they care that rivers and subterranean aquifers are regularly depleted to crisis levels as the result of their activities?
Martin Higgs, Twickenham, Middlesex
Since when has water not been a renewable resource?? It is the ultimate renewable resource, surely?
David Kay, Sheffield, UK
| Maybe if half the water wasn't leaking out of the pipes there would be enough for everyone |
Anyone who cycles to work will agree that this winter has been no such thing as 'dry'!! In fact I think it has rained somewhere in the UK every single day of 2005 so far. It rains constantly! Maybe if half the water wasn't leaking out of the pipes there would be enough for everyone!
Andrea, Cambridge UK I guess all of that rain and snow and sleet we've just had must have been 'less wet' than normal. I look forward to the next BBC headline: 'UK Rain regains wetness'!
Cameron, UK
As a professional water engineer I'm pretty despondent at the way in which water's taken for granted by both politicians and the public. Both take it for granted that it'll always be there. In the former case, for instance, the government's plans to build 250,000 more houses in the south-east ranks as sheer stupidity as far as I'm concerned. This area of the country has the highest population density and the lowest annual rainfall and it's all the water companies can do to cope as it is. So I hope Mr. Prescott's got a strategy to increase the rainfall in the south-east to cope with all the extra demand he's going to impose. And who's going to pay for all the sewage treatment plants required to get rid of the extra waste these people will create?
Graham Rigby, Epsom, UK
| We only have ourselves to blame for this |
I'm going out tonight to buy a water butt, something I should have done a while ago. We only have ourselves to blame for this, we all waste water. I'm going on water meter soon so that I can manage my usage better.
Iain Hicken, Swindon, UKI would like to know why the government are planning to build more houses in the south. Clearly we do not have enough water. So not only are we to suffer with congested roads, in the south, but now hosepipe bans. Perhaps these extra houses should be built where there are better resources. "No" that would be too sensible.
Nicola, Berks
How come people in Florida enjoy extreme heats, and are still able to uses their hoses? Perhaps we are too slow to catch on in the UK?
Rod Watson, Winchester, UK
If the government hadn't been encouraging the overpopulation of the UK, and especially the southeast, for the last few years, the strain on our water supplies would be much less serious. Britain, like the rest of the world, must consider environmental sustainability and stop population growth now before it's too late.
Jamie Shepherd, UK
Don't we have one every year?
Chantil, Hoddesdon, Herts
| I would rather see those who water their grass lawns fined |
Didn't we just have one of the wettest summers last year? It seems the problem is not only storage, but the amount of clean water used unnecessarily. Why don't new houses all have underground water tanks to collect rainwater off the roof? This could be used for flushing toilets, washing cars, watering the garden, etc. Rather than imposing a complete hosepipe ban, I would rather see those who water their grass lawns fined. Grass can tolerate long periods of dry weather - other plants cannot.
Ian, UK A 'dry' winter? Are they having a laugh? All this snow and rain I've seen this winter and it was a 'dry' one? Jeez, I'd hate to see a wet winter then! Oh, yeah, forget, it was the 'WRONG KIND' of rain wasn't it?!
Kevin, Manchester
As most people now pay for the water they actually use by meter reading rather than free unlimited supply as in the past it is fair to say that water is now not a utility service but a utility product. As such if a ban is imposed then this is effect a restriction on supply and as such consumers should have there standing charges reduced accordingly. If BT banned all private day time phone calls because its system could not cope then consumers would expect to pay half the monthly line charge. If we want a system of private enterprise in the service sector then the companies concerned must structure themselves to deliver the product!
Piers Catton, Blandford Forum
| The water companies boards should be heavily penalised for mis-management |
So after paying obscene water fees to these water companies for their professional management, we are now facing bans. OK they may not have control of the weather, but they can control loss from leaking pipes. I would hazard a guess that more water is lost through poorly maintained pipe work, which had some more of our water rates been used to repair rather than inflate some board members remuneration package for expert management, then just maybe the reservoirs may not be as empty as now. Is a hose pipe necessary, probably, but because of their failure the water companies boards should also be heavily penalised for mis-management.
Stuart, Norwich, UK
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