No drought about it! Ban now in force

RESTRICTIONS NOW APPLY

- By MARK PAGE

A HOSEPIPE ban is now in force for households across Hull and East Yorkshire as another hot spell hits the region.

Yorkshire Water says the county as a whole experienced one of the driest and warmest springs for 132 years leading to the region being declared in drought.

Though there has been some heavy rainfall in the past two weeks, it has been generally showery, isolated and short-lived.

Today and Tuesday showery rain is expected to spread in.

The restrictions on water usage, which came into effect on Friday, July 11, ban households from using hosepipes for activities such as watering the garden, cleaning cars and filling paddling pools.

Customers who ignore the ban could potentially face fines of up to £1,000 but Yorkshire Water previously said "we hope it won't come to that" as it urged households to help conserve water by sticking to the restrictions.

Activities that are not permitted while the temporary restrictions are in place include:

■Using a hosepipe to water a garden

Using a hosepipe to clean private vehicles or boats

Watering plants with a hosepipe on a domestic or other noncommercial premises

■Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming, paddling pool, hot tub or cold-water plunge pool with a hosepipe

Using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use

■Filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain using a hosepipe