Important new update on Yorkshire water levels and how it affects Harrogate customers
There is a warning that Yorkshire Water’s hosepipe restrictions will remain in place even if wet weather arrives this weekend.
Following heavy downpours in parts of the county this week, forecasts suggest more rainfall across Yorkshire in the coming days.
But Yorkshire Water says the the rainfall will not be enough to remove the hosepipe restrictions.
Yorkshire experienced its driest and warmest spring on record, with only 15cm of rainfall between February and June - less than half the average expected.
In June, the Environment Agency officially declared a drought across the region, raising concerns about water availability.
After a hosepipe ban was introduced in July, domestic water usage across Yorkshire decreased by 10%.
But with August still expected to receive well below long-term average rainfall, the seventh consecutive month of below average rainfall, the efforts of customers to save water have not proven to be enough to restore stocks of water in the region.
Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water, said: “We’re expecting some more welcome rainfall over the next few days.
"While welcome, it is likely to be taken up by plants and the parched ground and countryside, with very little making its way into our reservoirs.
“Hosepipe restrictions will remain in place until reservoir stocks have recovered – this could extend into the winter – as we are planning for the short-term and to ensure we have adequate supplies heading into the spring and summer of 2026.
“The efforts of customers to reduce water usage, our work to reduce leakage and the drought orders and permits we have in place, as well as others we have applied for, are all helping to reduce demand and protect the water stocks so everyone will have the water they need.”
Yorkshire’s reservoir stocks have been decreasing since late January due to the dry and warm weather, with stocks currently at 35.8% - well below the 73.4% average for this time of year.
The utility giant says the total of 135,000 smart meters it has fitted across Yorkshire have helped to identify more than 2,000 properties with leaky pipework.