'Use less water' warning as reservoir levels drop

People in north-west England are being urged to use less water after reservoirs were found to be lower than usual.

United Utilities issued the warning after finding reservoirs were currently at 69% capacity.

They were at more than 90% at the same time last year.

While the firm said there was no drought or plans for a hosepipe ban, it added "everyone can help by seeing how water can be saved around the home and garden as the warm weather continues".

There was a "medium risk" of drought if there was not enough rainfall in the coming months, the firm added.

It said it was "working hard behind the scenes to make the very best use of its water resources".

"This includes using its vast interconnected system of treatment works and pipes to move water from one part of the region to another to 'top up' areas that are lower and tackling leaks."

United Utilities, which supplies water to about seven million people in the region, said a person used a daily average of about 140 litres, and spending less time in a shower could save 12 litres per minute.

One less laundry load could save about 40 litres, it added.

It also said "a lot of this water is often lost through unintentional wastage, such as household leaks and even running taps and showers while waiting for the water to heat up".

Matt Hemmings, the firm's chief operating officer, said it was investing more than £380m in the next five years to "upgrade over 925km of water network across the region with more durable and flexible pipes, built to withstand high pressure and temperature variations to protect against bursts and leaks".

"At the same time, we are investing over £3.5bn in new aqueduct supplies and water treatment works that will safeguard supplies over the long-term."

Water bills rose by an average of £86 for a typical household this April.

The company said it intended to raise bills by an average of £31 each year from 2026 to 2030, as part of plans to invest in infrastructure to clean up dirty rivers.

It has received widespread criticism previously over the illegal dumping of sewage in Windermere in the Lake District.

Read more stories from Cheshire, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X.