Yorkshire Water is warning that reservoir levels are continuing to drop despite the arrival of early autumn rain.

Photo: Wessenden Head reservoir low water level

The water company said that patches of heavy rain in parts of Yorkshire over the last seven days have helped to slow the fall of groundwater and reservoir stocks, but they still declined over the last week, as water demand remained over 1.2 billion litres per day.

Yorkshire’s reservoir levels now sit at 30.6%, dropping 2.01% from last week, well below the 71.7% average for this time of year. This follows the UK receiving just 44% of its expected annual rainfall so far this year, compared to a typical average of 67% by this stage in the year.

The county has also experienced the hottest summer on record, following a record-breaking spring. Both of which contributed to Yorkshire being declared in drought status.

Dave Kaye, Yorkshire Water’s director of water services, said:

“Our reservoirs are feeling the impact of drought in the region, following the driest spring and warmest summer on record. Whilst we've been starting to see a little more rain with the beginning of autumn, the majority has been taken up by the extremely dry ground, and plants and trees.

“The rain has helped river and groundwater levels in some areas, which will allow us to abstract from watercourses to take the strain off our reservoirs. This, combined with drought orders and permits that have been granted on the Ouse, Wharfe and 19 reservoirs in the south and north-west of the region, will help to reduce the burden on reservoirs and enable reservoirs to recover quicker in the autumn and winter.”

“The weather is working more in our favour than it has previously, but we’re counting on a sustained period of wet weather coming. Whilst we're keeping a keen eye on these forecasts; we’re also focusing on bringing leaking down – fixing over 800 every week