Drought order 'less likely' (From Witney Gazette)

Drought order 'less likely'

9:00am Friday 2nd June 2006

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HEAVY downpours and showers, which made last month the wettest May for 23 years, have made it less likely tougher curbs on the use of water will be imposed.

Thames Water is continuing to review the need for a drought order every week, but admitted last month's record 96mm of rain could stave off any immediate action.

"It may be gloomy, but we would need to see a lot more wet weather before considering lifting the hosepipe ban."

Thames Water spokesman Andrew Boyd

May was the wettest in the region since 1983, and almost double the average rainfall for the month since records began 109 years ago.

More rain also fell in May compared to any single month since a drought began in Oxfordshire in October 2004, the Thames Water figures reveal.

Thames Water spokesman, Andrew Boyd, said: "We are still reviewing it week by week, but it makes it less likely we will be applying soon for a drought order, although this doesn't rule out the possibility we may need to apply some time in the future.

"We could get two weeks of hot and dry weather, so it is impossible to guess, but it's unlikely we will need to apply for the order any time soon."

A drought order would put stringent restrictions on businesses and organisations on the 'non-essential' use of water.

Mr Boyd said: "In the short term, it is good news in that there is less demand for water, because the rain has fallen on people's cars, gardens, and watered golf courses.

"Also when it rains, the water runs off into local rivers, so we can collect that and store it in the reservoirs. It doesn't solve the drought, but it is a short-term fix.

"It may be gloomy, but we would need to see a lot more wet weather before considering lifting the hosepipe ban.

"It's far to early to say if we've reached the end of the drought, and equally May might just be a blip within the drought. But we are hoping that's not the case."

A hosepipe ban was introduced in Oxfordshire on April 3, and was the first in 15 years.

The ban stops people using hosepipes in the garden or for washing cars and the use of garden sprinklers, and follows drought conditions since November 2004, which have seen 15 months of below-average rainfall across the area.

Two dry winters have also left levels of ground water, essential to keep rivers flowing, dangerously low.

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