Hosepipe ban 2018: Is there a hosepipe ban? When does it come in?
BRITONS have basked in the longest heatwave in 42 years this summer and the hot weather is set to continue, but will this result in a hosepipe ban? Here is everything you need to know about when and where the hosepipe ban is in the UK.
HOSEPIPE BAN: United Utilities say 'we had no other choice'
Scorching temperatures have caused grass to turn yellow, paths to crack and reservoirs to dry up over the past month.
People have also been using more water by drinking more to keep hydrated, filling up paddling pools to keep cool and watering their plants more frequently due to the lack of rainfall.
This has caused numerous water suppliers to grow concerned about possible water shortages around the UK.
An easy way for water to be saved could be from cutting down on hosepipe usage.
When and where is the hosepipe ban in UK?
There is no country-wide hosepipe ban at the moment.
However, a ban was activated in Northern Ireland on Friday, June 29, at 6pm.
United Utilities (UU) have issued a temporary hosepipe ban in the north-west of England from August 5 in order to “safeguard essential supplies”.
Water levels are said to be low in this region and there are fears supplies could be affected further as hot weather has been forecast for the rest of July.
Martin Padley, from UU, said the ban comes during what is believed to be the longest heatwave since 1976.
He said: "Despite some recent rainfall, reservoir levels are still lower than we would expect at this time of year and, with forecasters predicting a return to hot dry weather for the rest of July we will need to impose some temporary restrictions on customers.
"We are enormously grateful to customers for having helped reduce the demand on our network over the last couple of weeks but unless we get a period of sustained rainfall before August 5 these restrictions will help us safeguard essential water supplies for longer."
However, Carlisle and north Eden Valley will not be included in the UU ban in north-west England.
These two areas receive water from local water resources and not the network which serves the rest of the region.
These areas have not been as badly affected by the lack of rainfall.
Severn Trent Water in the Midlands and United Utilities in the north west also asked people not to use hosepipes and sprinklers on June 30.