Running Dry?

South-East Water supplies Kent and Sussex. This Company is joining the hose-pipe ban team (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/03/south-east-water-announces-hosepipe-ban-kent-and-sussex). Hose-pipe bans can mean people getting substantial fines (circa £1000) for watering their gardens or washing their cars. Southern Water already has hose-pipe bans in place for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Thames Water and Welsh Water are considering similar moves. It is, in deed, true that conditions in 2022 have been exceptionally dry, especially in the SE of England. Having said that, many of the privately-owned Water Companies lose enormous amounts of water in leakages. Most UK Water Companies appear only too happy to direct most of their profits to shareholders, rather than spending money improving their ancient infrastructure. It could also be helpful if people were encouraged to have water butts in their gardens, collecting winter rainfall for watering their gardens. The UK has been predictably very slow to attempt to adapt to the challenges of climate change. We like to moan about the weather, rather than attempt remediation.