Writing in the Barnet Press this week, Theresa Villiers, explains the urgent need to cut down on water usage despite the recent heavy downpours...
I imagine that almost all of us involved in the mayoral elections, from whichever party, will have got pretty drenched on the campaign trail when Barnet was battered by heavy downpours and high winds last week.
Despite this, there is still a drought, after two years of extremely low rainfall. Without the usual level of winter rain collecting in reservoirs and groundwater, supplies have been left very low and unfortunately, the last week’s rain has not been enough to change the situation.
Most of the rain will have been soaked up by dry soil or run off the surface. This means that it will not reach deep enough underground to affect the levels of groundwater. Much of our tap water comes from this source and so it is vitally important that even while it is raining outside, we continue to use less water.
Temporary use bans have been introduced to help water companies conserve their supplies. Restrictions have been placed on uses such as washing cars, filling ponds and swimming pools and watering gardens and allotments.
The decision to introduce these restrictions has not been taken lightly and the Government has been working with water companies to mitigate their impact on the general public. I know that here in Barnet, where our gardens and green spaces are such an important part of our leafy suburban environment, a hosepipe ban is always a cause for concern. However, there is still a pressing need to cut down on water use where we can, which is why the restrictions have to stay in place for the moment.
Looking on the bright side, the recent wet weather has been good news for gardeners and everyone with an allotment, providing much needed relief from the long dry spell and the hosepipe ban.
The downside is there is now a real risk of flooding in some parts of Barnet and the Environment Agency has issued a number of alerts over recent days.