London, the south-east and East Anglia have escaped a hosepipe ban. Thanks to a wet winter, there is enough groundwater for supplies, despite the recent lack of rain. But unless there is another wet winter, water supplies next year will be stretched.
In any case, London and the south-east can often be at risk of water shortages, with a surprisingly dry climate – London has less rainfall on average each year than Rome or Istanbul. Added to that, the water pipes in London are antique and bursting, wasting huge amounts of water. In May 2018, Thames Water leakage losses amounted to 680m litres a day, 14m litres more than it had planned for.
London’s population is expected to grow, and so will demand for water. According to the Greater London Authority, the city is close to capacity for water demands and is likely to have supply problems by 2025 and serious shortages by 2040.
It is no use crossing fingers and hoping winters will always be wet to recharge water reserves. Water companies need to fix more leaks and build more infrastructure for water supplies, and consumers need to cut down on water use.
