Scorched London faces dire drought

Wildfires, parched parkland and the prospect of hosepipe ban as temperatures continue to soar, experts fear we may be on the cusp of months of water rationing. Ben Bryant reports measures -

- Ben Bryant

GREENWICH Park is a savannah, wildfires have broken out in Croydon, and the source of the G Thames has dried up. We're on the verge of an unprecedented drought – and no amount of aftersun can soothe the sorry prospect of water rationing.

Around the UK, counties are acting accordingly. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were hit by water restrictions on August 5. This Friday, on August 12, consumers in Kent and Sussex will be banned from using a mains-connected hosepipe to wash cars, fill up paddling pools or water gardens. And according to a statement released yesterday by Thames Water, it seems that London is following suit.

"Our aim is always to ensure that we will have enough water to supply our customers," the company said in its statement. "Given the long-term forecast of dry weather...we are planning to announce a temporary use ban in the coming weeks."

It's perhaps little wonder, given that southern England recorded its driest July on record since 1836, with only 17 per cent of average rainfall, according to the Met Office. And arguably, the spectre of water restrictions has haunted the capital for months (Thames Water attributes its depleted reservoirs to the fact that "nine out of the last 11 months have been drier than average") - but how likely are they to disrupt our everyday lives? So far the advice from water companies has been pedestrian: swap your hose for a watering can; take shorter showers (or switch to a damp flannel); turn off the taps while you brush your teeth; fix leaky loos and use full loads when you wash clothes.

But far more stringent measures may be on the horizon. Last week the Environment Agency held an emergency meeting of the National Drought Group, which issued a stark warning: "Projections show that, by 2050, some rivers could have between 50 and 80 per cent less water during the summer and summer temperatures are set to be up to 7.4 degrees hotter."