Water companies across England and Wales have announced hosepipe bans as temperatures are predicted to soar to 36C this week. A Met Office amber warning for extreme heat comes into force from Thursday (August 11) until Sunday (August 14) for some areas.
There is also a heat health alert in place from the UK Health Security Agency, with experts advising people to look out for those who are older or with existing health conditions, as well as young children. Temperatures are not set to be as extreme as those in July which smashed records when the thermometer climbed to above 40C in some areas of the UK for the first time.
But months of low rainfall and hot spells have left parts of the UK facing drought, prompting hosepipe bans and warnings on the impact on agriculture, rivers and wildlife. In some places, grass fires have broken out as the heat and lack of rain have left countryside, parks and gardens tinder-dry, prompting calls for people not to have barbecues and for disposable barbecues to be banned.
Read more: The button drivers 'don't know how best to use' that should be on in a heatwave
Thames Water, which supplies water to 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley, became the latest water firm to signal it will bring in a hosepipe ban in the face of the hot, dry summer. Three other water companies – South East, Southern and Welsh Water – have announced hosepipe bans for customers in areas they supply.
But could a hosepipe ban soon be seen in Greater Manchester, as temperatures rise to 30C this week? A United Utilities spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News : “We are not considering any restrictions on use.
"Whatever the weather, we always encourage people to use water wisely, which saves energy and money and is good for the environment."
In England, the south-east and central regions only saw an average of 5.0mm of rain last month while East Anglia only had 5.4mm. It is the lowest amount of rainfall in July since the Met Office began records nearly 200 years ago.
As a whole, England saw an average 23.1mm of rainfall - the lowest figure for July since 1935 and the seventh lowest July total on record. For the UK overall, there was 46.33mm of rainfall - the 19th lowest July since records began in 1836.
Read next:
-
Mancs flock to city centre bars to soak up sun as Met Office issues amber weather warning
-
Manchester will be hotter than Los Angeles this weekend as heatwave to last longer than 37C scorcher
-
Swarm of sugar-crazed wasps heading for UK but this product can stop them entering your home
-
A Manchester food hall is serving up the world’s ‘most divisive’ ice cream
-
When is it too hot to work during a heatwave? What the government says
