Hosepipe ban FINALLY comes to an end: Thames Water ends three-month water ban for 10million customers after wet autumn weather

• Thames Water has finally lifted its hosepipe ban after 90 days of restrictions
• Some 10million people are believed to have been affected by ban on August 24
• The water company told customers today the long ban had finally been lifted

Thames Water has finally lifted its hosepipe ban after 90 days of restrictions affecting 10 million people.

The temporary use ban was brought in on August 24, less than a month after the UK recorded its hottest temperatures on record, 40.3C.

Thames Water announced to its customers today that the long ban, its first in 27 years, had finally been lifted following recent downpours in the south of the country.

It had previously warned that the ban could remain into the new year.

Under the restrictions, customers are banned from using a hosepipe to water gardens, wash cars, clean homes or – if they are wealthy – fill swimming pools. Breaking the ban could lead to a £1,000 fine.

Social media users mocked today’s end of the hosepipe ban by pointing at the spike in rainfall this November. ‘I was worrying recently how I’d water the lawn,’ one Twitter user jibed.

‘That’s a big relief. Was starting to think the garden was getting a bit too dry,’ joked Mrs Miggins, while Kate Bod quipped that the ban followed ‘weeks of torrential rain’.

The hosepipe ban affecting the whole of the Thames Valley came into affect on 24 August and meant those in breach could be fined £1,000

Tweets mocked the end of the hosepipe ban by pointing at the recent spike in rainfall

Another tweet used an image of US news Anderson Cooper rolling his eyes at the news

‘I was worrying recently how I’d water the lawn,’ another Twitter user jibed

‘That’s a big relief. Was starting to think the garden was getting a bit too dry,’ joked Mrs Miggins

Kate Bod quipped that the ban followed ‘weeks of torrential rain’

Informing residents of the change, the company said: ‘We’re pleased to announce that the hosepipe ban is over for everyone across our region.

‘Thank you so much for all your efforts to help save water.’

Explaining the decision to lift the restrictions the provider said: ‘The wet weather throughout autumn has begun to make a real difference, following on from a year of below average rain.

‘In many places the ground is becoming wet enough for water to sink down into the underground sources that feed local rivers.’

Bans and restrictions were heavily criticised at the time of imposition after reports of large scale leaks, including Thames Water losing around a quarter of the 2.6billion litres it supplies each day through leaky pipes.

Thames Water’s forecasts suggest that if the UK gets just 60 per cent of its usual winter rain then underground sources and rivers will return to a healthy level.

Despite this, hosepipe bans remain in place for customers of South East Water, Yorkshire Water and South West Water.

Thames Water’s hosepipe ban, which impacts 10 million people in the south east of England, has finally been lifted, it was announced today

Yorkshire Water’s ban has been in place for three months, introduced swiftly after Thames Water’s on August 26.

A spokesman for the company told the Daily Mail: ‘Although the Environment Agency still classes Yorkshire as within drought, we have had more rain recently.

‘However, that rain doesn’t always fall evenly across the whole region – meaning that in some areas reservoir levels are still lower than we would hope.

‘We’re constantly reviewing the situation and as soon as we meet the requirements needed to remove the hosepipe ban, we will let our customers know.’

South West Water said: ‘We introduced a hosepipe ban (temporary use ban) for customers in Cornwall and parts of North Devon in August, and this remains in place.

‘Note that this is only in place for parts of the region where levels are especially low, and not the whole region.

‘The South West still remains officially in Drought and the temporary use ban was introduced following one of the direst periods in over 130 years.

‘Despite this prolonged dry period the majority of our customers have not been impacted by restrictions.’

The company also pointed out that it introduced a first of its kind customer incentive scheme, whereby customers in Cornwall will be eligible for a £30 bill credit if Colliford Reservoir reaches 30 per cent storage capacity by the end of the year.

In response to Thames Water’s ban lift a spokesman for Water UK, that represents all members of the industry, said: ‘This has been one of the driest years on record, and recent downpours, while welcome, have not done enough to make up for 10 months of dry weather, and an exceptionally hot summer.

‘We still need to see above average levels of rainfall throughout the winter in order to bring water levels in the environment back to normal by spring.

‘Water companies are constantly reviewing the data on their water sources in deciding whether restrictions remain necessary in their regions.’

The industry’s reputation has taken a battering after sewage spills into rivers and seas, pollution from water treatment works and poor environmental performance by some firms.

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