Leeds heatwave August 2022: how hot does the Met Office say it will get and will there be a hosepipe ban?

Just after one heatwave has subsided, Leeds may be subjected to another in the coming days.

As such, pressure is mounting on water companies to provide their services, despite little rainfall in recent weeks.

As such, another country-wide heatwave could have devastating effects - and could result in a widespread hosepipe ban.

Both Southern Water and South East Water have issued hosepipe bans on their respective areas, with potentially more to come.

Currently, Yorkshire Water is not imposing a hosepipe ban, though this is subject to change over the coming weeks.

How hot will it get in Leeds?

Despite rumblings of a heatwave, the Met Office states that temperatures will not reach the sweltering heights of 40.C like we had a few weeks ago.

Next week in Leeds, the temperature will peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, where it will reach 26.C.

While we don’t need to worry about a heatwave similar to the one experienced in July, there will be a lack of precipitation.

Next week, the chance of rain in Leeds will not exceed 5% at any point, according to the Met Office.

With water levels ever decreasing, this could be a cause for concern - especially when considering the possibility of hosepipe bans in the UK.

Will there be a hosepipe ban?

Yorkshire Water has recently issued a warning to its customers, saying that its reservoir levels are continuously falling.

Despite rainfall occurring in Yorkshire recently, it hasn’t been enough to buoy the falling amount of water in Yorkshire’s reservoirs.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: “Yorkshire has experienced a particularly dry spring and summer and the reservoirs and rivers in our region are seeing the impact.

“Reservoir levels are currently around 51 per cent - they declined by two per cent over the last week despite the rainfall we had across Yorkshire.

“We’re working around the clock to move water around our network of pipes to keep taps flowing and we’re doing our bit to save water where we can too.

“Our team of leakage inspectors are out and about across Yorkshire, working hard to save water from leaky pipes, and are prioritising larger leaks,” the spokesperson added.

How can I help to save water?

There are plenty of ways you can go about saving water. Firstly, it’s a good idea to take quick showers instead of long baths. Taking cold showers is a good way to ensure that you aren’t in there for too long.

When you’re brushing your teeth, it’s a good idea to make sure the tap is turned off when it isn’t being used. Likewise, you should turn off any superfluous water features that you may have in the garden.

Yorkshire Water has advised its customers to not water their gardens for the time being and to not wash their cars, either.