Bristol takes its water mostly from reservoirsBlagdon Lake in Somerset is one source of the utility company’s water supply(Image: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Bristol Water has confirmed it has no plans to join others in imposing a hosepipe ban this summer. Although the city recently sweated through a weekend where the mercury tipped over 33 degrees, a Bristol Water spokesperson said there was enough water in reserve to avoid a ban.

“We currently have no plans to introduce a hosepipe ban this summer, but we are seeing a rise in demand for water as we would always expect in warmer months,” a Bristol Water spokesperson said.

The majority of Bristol’s water comes from four huge reservoirs – Blagdon Lake, Chew Valley Lake, Cheddar and Barrow. The total combined storage capacity of those four sources is around 38bn litres, enough to fill ten Wembley Stadiums.

The combined reservoir levels of Bristol Water currently sit at 65%. That is a significant dip on the same time in 2024, when the storage level was at 84%.

Despite the lower levels this year, Bristol Water said it is confident in the amount of water being stored in the reservoirs. Nonetheless, a spokesperson implored residents to be careful with how they used the precious resource.

“We are continuing to work hard to manage our resources, tackle leakage and support our customers with using water wisely – simple steps like using a watering can instead of a hose, or taking shorter showers, really do to protect our most precious resource,” the spokesperson said.

“Our reservoirs are in a relatively good position – we are ready for summer.” Because Bristol takes its water mostly from reservoirs, along with the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, the city is rarely placed under hosepipe bans.

A ban was last imposed in Bristol due to drought in 1975, lasting until the following year, while one was put in place in 1990 because of a hole in the base of the canal. Nearby areas haven’t been so lucky during the recent heatwave.

Thames Water recently imposed a hosepipe ban, otherwise known as a temporary use ban, on four areas including in parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

After a sweltering start to July, more varied weather is being forecast for the rest of the month. A high of 25 degrees is forecast for Saturday, July 19, with the possibility of a bit of light rain on Sunday.

However, hot days may not be in the rear view mirror for long. The Met Office’s long range forecast is for above average temperatures across the UK at the start of August.

“Towards mid-August, there are tentative signs that high pressure may become rather more dominant, which could bring more in the way dry, settled weather more widely,” the forecasters said. “Temperatures will likely continue to be above average overall, with the possibility of very warm or hot spells developing later in the period, especially further south and east.