Hosepipe bans are still in place across some parts of Britain despite a very wet November which saw the UK battered by Storm Claudia
Drippy water bosses are still slapping hosepipe bans on swathes of Britain despite the nation getting a soaking in rain-lashed November.
Restrictions imposed by Yorkshire Water and South East Water are staying in place, despite them initially being imposed back in July.
But Thames Water finally lifted its bans after four months.
Yorkshire Water has confirmed it is taking steps to remove its drought permits – which it says would let it to lift the hosepipe bans “earlier than initially thought”.
Dave Kaye, the firm’s director of water and wastewater services, said: “We’re now confident that we’re moving into a healthy position across our reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater water sources, after seeing further rainfall over the last seven days, and another significant jump in our reservoir levels.
“Restrictions are still in place for the time being, but we are working to lift them as soon as possible, hopefully within the next few weeks.
“We’re now working with the Environment Agency to reduce the measures we’d put in place to manage our water resources differently during the drought – a step we have to take before restrictions can be lifted.
“This can take a number of weeks, but we will not keep the restrictions in place any longer than is necessary.” South East’s hosepipe ban in Kent and Sussex – implemented in July – is still in place.
The bans were introduced to allow reservoirs to recover following Britain’s driest spring and hottest summer on record.
They have led to five million-plus people in Yorkshire alone being barred from using their hosepipes to water their garden, wash cars and clean outdoor surfaces.
Southern Water lifted its ban on October 31 after it was imposed in the summer.
Continuous rainfall in the last week has seen reservoir levels rise from 80.5% to 84.6%.
Storm Claudia earlier this month also saw the nation drenched by monsoon-like conditions.
Thames Water’s ban lifts have occurred in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.
Nevil Muncaster from the company warned: “We’re encouraging all our customers to keep using water wisely over the winter months so water resources in our region continue to recharge ready for spring and summer next year.”
The Environment Agency has urged the public to continue to play their part and use water wisely through winter, in anticipation of another drought year.
And the Met Office has indicated a higher-than-usual likelihood of dry conditions over three months from November to January.
It could cause drought conditions to worsen, leading to hosepipe bans and a risk to crop yields.