Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water on hosepipe ban calls

Customers have been encouraged by both Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water to use water “responsibly” as an amber heat-health warning is issued by the UK Health Security Agency for Dorset and the BCP region.

This comes after Environment Secretary George Eustice MP implored water supply companies to take action and follow the likes of Southern Water who have imposed hosepipe bans in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.

Mr Eustice wrote in The Sunday Telegraph: “In accordance with their drought plans, water companies across the country have rightly taken action to mitigate the effects of this prolonged dry weather using the range of tools available to them.

“I strongly urge others to do the same.”

Despite this, both Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water say they have no plans to introduce a ban.

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “There are no supply problems in the Wessex Water region but we always encourage our customers to use water responsibly for the benefit of everyone and the environment.”

Highs of 34C could hit Dorset this week

Bournemouth Water, meanwhile, said their plans are under constant review. A spokesperson said: “While we have no immediate plans to implement water restrictions, the long period of unprecedented hot and dry weather we are experiencing means we are constantly reviewing our position and the extremely high levels of demand we are seeing.

“Overall, we are confident that we have sufficient water in our reservoirs and rivers. However, continued high demand and low rainfall will put strain on these precious resources. We always ask customers to think about their water usage and we are now urging customers to avoid non-essential water use such as filling paddling pools and using a hosepipe in the garden and for washing cars.”

Highs of 34C are predicted for parts of Dorset in the coming week.

A spokesperson for industry body Water UK said: “Every company has a drought plan in place, agreed with the Ministers and the Environment Agency. These set out specific triggers for activating different levels of response (including hosepipe bans).

“Government decided that it should be up to water companies to take the final judgment on when each plan’s action triggers have been met.”

An amber heat-health warning has been issued with highs of 34C predicted for parts of Dorset.

The warning will be in force between 12pm on Tuesday, August 9 and 6pm on Saturday, August 13 with a 90 per cent chance of heatwave conditions.

It says: "High pressure dominating this week, with fine and dry conditions across most of the country, prolonged sunny spells and light to moderate breezes.

"Temperatures rising from warm or very warm to locally hot in most regions, with a focus of the warmest weather in central-southern England."