Message last updated - Friday 18th July 2025
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Message last updated - Friday 18th July 2025
Message last updated - Friday 18th July 2025
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16 July 2025
News
Following the driest spring in over 100 years and the news of more hosepipe bans being announced in other areas of the country, Anglian Water has issued an update on the situation in the East of England.
The company said the recent rain had helped river and reservoirs levels, delaying the need for restrictions, but uncertainty over the future forecast meant a hosepipe ban could still be needed this summer.
Anglian Water’s Director of Water Services, Ian Rule said, “The East of England is the driest part of the country, so we’re used to seeing a lack of rainfall in our region and we plan accordingly. Our focus on leakage, and the investment we’ve put in place to give us resilience in the face of climate change has helped to delay the need for restrictions, but the last few months have been exceptionally dry, even by our standards.
“River levels had been looking very low following the historically dry Spring, but they have responded better than expected to recent rainfall. There is also some rain in the forecast over the coming weeks which, if it materialises, could provide some welcome respite for the region’s rivers and reservoirs. However, the forecast is far from certain, so we’re closely monitoring the situation and if the exceptionally dry weather does continue, then restrictions might still be needed this summer.
“We don’t want to put restrictions in place unnecessarily, but protecting the environment and the vital agricultural sector in the region in the face of such unusually dry conditions means leaving as much water in the environment as possible, so we have to strike a careful balance.
“Our teams have been working round the clock to fix leaks and bursts, with more than 250 people dedicated to managing and reducing leakage. We already have the lowest level of leakage in the industry and that has helped us be resilient in the face of such extreme dry weather. We aim to bolster that even further by putting £10million into reducing leakage this year, and renewing over 1,000 km of pipes in our network over the next 5 years - 170km of which will be renewed this year.
“However, the dry ground we’re seeing at the moment means our water pipes are at greater risk of shifting and breaking, so we’re seeing an increase in issues being reported to us and it’s an area we are continuing to focus resources on.
“We’ve also heard from lots of our customers who tell us that they have already made changes to reduce their water use to help protect the environment, which has been great to see. Whilst we might not need a hosepipe ban just yet, we’re really grateful to everyone who has played their part by using a little less water and we’re asking customers to continue to do their bit, even small changes can make a big difference.”
