Yorkshire Water has confirmed reservoir levels have fallen to 62.3% – well below the seasonal average of 85.5% – following the Environment Agency’s official drought declaration for the region on Thursday 12 June.
Despite recent rainfall stabilising the rate of decline, levels still dropped 0.51% last week as the region continues to feel the effects of one of the driest and warmest springs since records began in 1884.
So far, Yorkshire has received 62% of its average June rainfall.
Water demand across the region remains high at 1.3 billion litres per day. However, Yorkshire Water says customers’ efforts to save water – alongside last week’s rain – have slowed the decline compared to previous weekly drops of around 3%.
Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said:
We’ve seen water demand decrease thanks to the welcome rainfall and the efforts of our customers to save water. However, reservoir levels remain much lower than normal for this time of year. Without further significant rainfall, temporary usage restrictions may be needed.”
The utility is deploying 100 additional staff to tackle leaks and is urging customers to continue reporting issues to support faster repairs.
Yorkshire Water will also work with the Environment Agency to manage supplies and move water to the areas of greatest need.
Top water-saving tips include:
- Fix leaking toilets – a trickling toilet can waste up to 400 litres a day
- Only run washing machines when full and use eco modes
- Use mulch in gardens to retain moisture and reduce evaporation
- Turn off taps when brushing teeth – saving up to 10 litres each time
