WITH hosepipe bans coming into force throughout parts of southern England and Wales, Cheshire West suppliers have now issued updates on the current situation for the borough.

Southern Water and Welsh Water have both announced plans this week for water bans citing low amounts of rainfall and prolonged dry conditions. Residents of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and those in Pembrokeshire and part of Carmarthenshire will be prevented from watering plants, washing cars or cleaning windows using a hose.

With temperatures set to rise next week, both United Utilities, which supplies areas such as Ellesmere Port and some areas of Cheshire, and Severn Trent, who supply central Chester, have provided information on the likelihood of a hosepipe ban for residents.

A spokesperson for United Utilities said: "Some parts of the North West region have seen less rainfall than others, particularly the Pennine area. However, our major water sources in Cumbria have seen more normal levels of rainfall and we can use our regional network of water resources and water pipes to move supplies to where they are needed. We are not considering any restrictions on use.

"Whatever the weather, we always encourage people to use water wisely, which saves energy and money and is good for the environment."

The water supplier, who has reservoirs across West Cumbria and Deeside, typically expects its regional stock of water to be at around 76.6 percent at this time of year. Figures gathered from the company's website list current stock to be 58.9 percent, however some sites, such as West Cumbria are currently stocked at above average levels.

Severn Trent, who supply several areas within the city of Chester, said they were keeping a close eye on the situation but indicated that no changes were imminent.

A spokesperson said: "Our region has seen a dry start to the year, only seeing 67% of the rainfall usually expected between April – June 2022. However, there hasn’t been a hosepipe ban in our region for more than 27 years (since 1995), and as we do every year, we continue to monitor reservoir levels and demand for water closely.

"We’d like to thank all of our customers for their support in being mindful about non-essential water use as the warm and dry weather continues into the summer."

Some Chester postcodes are of course supplied by Welsh Water, who have recently introduced a Temporary Use Ban to Pembrokeshire and a small area of Carmarthenshire. There is currently no indication that this is likely to extend to other parts of the network, however Chester postcode holders are currently being advised by the company to "please continue to use water wisely".

Further information on the Temporary Use Ban and a postcode checker is available on the Welsh Water website.