Yorkshire summer hosepipe ban 'very unlikely'

Paul Hudson & Andrew Barton - Weather Presenter, BBC Look North
Dave Kaye, director of Water Service at Yorkshire Water
Yorkshire Water said reservoirs had returned to near capacity [BBC]

A hosepipe ban in Yorkshire this summer is unlikely, Yorkshire Water has said.

The utility firm brought in a ban during the drought of 2022, when an emergency pipeline was needed to keep supplies going.

However, it has said reservoirs in the region were now 95% full after a wet start to the year.

Dave Kaye, the firm's director of Water Service, said: "I can't guarantee there will be no water restrictions [this year], but it's very, very, unlikely."

By the end of January, the UK had already seen 89% of the average rainfall for the winter season across the country.

Garden sprinkler
A hosepipe ban was introduced in August 2022 following months of low rainfall [Getty Images]

Reservoirs have now returned to near capacity but the company said extreme weather made it hard to plan ahead.

"I'm confident we won't impose restrictions but I can't guarantee it," said Mr Kaye.

"It would be irresponsible given the climate variability and the change in climate we've seen over recent years."

However, he said reservoir levels were 9.7% higher than they were in 2022, adding: "Ground water levels are 16% higher, and the area where we had problems in West Yorkshire's Worth Valley the reservoir levels are at 100%."

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