Water companies have urged UK households to conserve supplies as the country continues to bask in a near record-breaking June heatwave.
The hot weather is likely to remain, with the sun expected to shine throughout the weekend and temperatures in the high 20s across much of Britain.
“In recent days our treatment works have been operating at near maximum levels with over 700m litres of water being put into the network, which is some 25% more than is normal for this time of the year,” she said.
“Despite these steps, demand continues to outstrip supply.
It would be our intention to introduce a formal hose pipe ban in an effort to protect the public against the increased threat of supply interruptions.” Huge spikes in demand for water at morning and evening peak times mean utility companies are having to pump billions more litres of water into the system, but they say it is often being used by customers as fast as it is supplied.
“Demand for water is massively up thanks to several weeks of extremely hot weather,” said Doug Clarke of Severn Trent.
The dry weather has forced some farmers to take desperate measures to keep their cattle alive.
Guy Smith, the deputy president of the National Farmers Union, said his farm had not seen any rain at all in June and that it was “getting to the point where rain won’t help”.
Andrew Webster, who runs a Jersey and Guernsey herd near Ashbourne, asked his water supplier Severn Trent to send a tanker for his 70 cows.
He was offered only bottled water.