Drought Warning.

[Ian]

Sorry Lil, but it is a country of two halves again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15979820

Thames Water tells users to save water amid drought fears

Thames Water customers have been told to conserve supplies after the firm was forced to use an underground reserve in London for the first time since 2006.

It comes after below-average rainfall for 15 of the past 19 months.

Thames Water supplies households in London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and Wiltshire.

The region needs about 80% of its usual winter rainfall to avoid drought measures next year, the firm said.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency warned parts of England may see a drought into next summer.
'Not muddy'

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman says water companies need to prepare now for the "possibility" of a drought.

Richard Aylard, Thames Water director of external affairs, said: "It may come as a surprise to be talking about drought so close to Christmas, but if we don't get close to average rainfall this winter there is a very real possibility of a drought next year.
Intake pipe at the Thames Gateway desalination plant in Beckton The Beckton desalination plant may be turned on which can supply 150 million litres a day

"This summer may have been mostly grey and dreary, but it has also been consistently dry.

"Simple things like only putting the washing machine on with a full load and turning off the tap when brushing your teeth can all help."

The firm has started using its North London Artificial Recharge Scheme which is currently boosting supplies by 80 million litres a day.

It has only been called upon four times since it first came into use in 1995.
'A worry'

If the weather remains dry in January the Beckton desalination plant may be turned on which can supply 150 million litres a day.

Farmer Michael Bowden, from Brimpton, Berkshire, said: "It is very obvious that water levels are low.

"We have still got animals out grazing in fields whereas normally they would be getting very muddy and making a mess.

"At the moment it is not a problem but it will be by the spring. It is a worry."

[diamond lil]

*hollow laugh as I look at my hens trying to swim in their pen*

[maxilaura]

Today in Guildford it was a monkeys wedding - the sun was shining but was raining slightly.

[Rosesandtea]

Another thing on my to-do list needs bumping up or underlining in red, then. We have a water butt but it's not connected to the guttering pipe. Need to start na- er, reminding dh.

We've thought about getting some IBCs, guess we need to stop thinking and start spending the money.

It's not just drought that can cause problems with water, but it's certainly a problem that comes up often.

[nickdutch]

Glad I have an electric mains powered distiller so I can get water from streams, ponds, bathtub etc and distill it and a dehumidifier so that i have some grey water I can distill (twice to get the sh@t out of it)

[Rosesandtea]

Another thing for water on our to-get list is a water filter like the Berkefeld. We have the chemicals to purify water and can always run it through layers of cloth but having a filter system like the Berkefeld sounds better to me.

This continual threat of drought makes me want to be careful if we do get to move to a smallholding - I'd prefer it to have its own water system. It might dry up but hopefully we will be able to have stored water as well. Or, if reliant on the mains, work very hard to have a seemingly silly amount of water stored.