Sunday 14 August 2022 08:10 AM Water leaks DOUBLE during heatwave with firms blaming underground damage caused ... trends now
The number of leaks detected by some water suppliers has more than doubled since the start of the heatwave, as the drought continues to hit UK supplies.
Firms have said the earth drying out has caused damage to underground pipes, putting additional strain on an already creaking water system.
And the Environment Agency has warned that the country's infrastructure needs upgrading or Britain faces the prospect of water shortages in the next 25 years.
Thames Water, which supplies to 15million people in South and South East England, has confirmed it has seen a doubling in the number of leaks reported on its system since July 19.
The company's pipes had already been leaking 624million litres of water every day, and said the new leaks were caused by the movement of the earth damaging pipes as it dries out.
It add that soaring demand meant it was having to pump water at a higher pressure, putting further strain on its pipes.
The Times reports that Government sources have indicated that other water suppliers are seeing similar issues.
Old tree skeletons are exposed due to extremely low water levels at Colliford Lake near Bodmin in Cornwall as the driest summer for five decades continues
As the Environment Agency declares a drought in large parts of England, officials have warned infrastructure needs to be upgraded to prevent water shortages in the next 25 years
Parched grass in St James's Park, London. Thames Water said it has seen a doubling in the number of leaks in its network since mid-July
While Anglian Water denied the number of leaks on its network has doubled, the dry conditions meant it has had to devote 500 people to tackling the leaks.
David Beale, a consultant engineering hydrologist, told The Times: 'The trees are extracting the remaining water so the ground is shrinking slightly and the old cast-iron Victorian water mains, and the plastic pipes of the 1970s, can’t cope with it.
'The problem is that the government is not taking climate change seriously. Things will get worse but there’s nothing seriously done about it.'
The Water