Updated

Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 24

UKHSA Issues 30C Yellow Heat Alerts Across Southern England as Weekend Rain Falls Short

Updated

Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 24

UKHSA Issues 30C Yellow Heat Alerts Across Southern England as Weekend Rain Falls Short

Q: While millions faced hosepipe bans in 2025, how much water are utility companies still losing to leaks today?

Water companies in England and Wales are still losing roughly **3 billion litres a day to leaks** — about **2.87 billion litres daily** by Greenpeace UK’s estimate, and around **19% of all water put into the network**, according to the Environment Agency. That means nearly **one in five litres** is lost before it reaches customers, even as households in drought-hit areas face hosepipe bans. Campaigners have said that volume is equivalent to about **1,150 Olympic-sized swimming pools every day** and is several times larger than the water savings expected from a nationwide hosepipe ban. The losses vary by company. Thames Water’s three-year average leakage has been put at roughly **580 million to 630 million litres per day**. South East Water has also reported leakage of just over **100 million litres a day**, with Ofwat data showing its leakage rose in 2024-25 compared with 2019-20. The wider context is that the 2025 heat and drought warnings came on top of prolonged dry weather across much of England and Wales, with bans affecting millions of customers. Public support for restrictions exists, but research for the Environment Agency found many people questioned why households were being asked to cut use while companies were still losing such large volumes through ageing infrastructure and leaks. So the short answer is that, despite hosepipe bans, utilities are still losing **close to 3 billion litres of water every day**.

2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 24

Yellow heat health alerts took effect at 09:00 BST across London, the South East, South West, East of England and the Midlands, remaining in force until Sunday morning.
30C highs are forecast in parts of central, southern and eastern England on Friday, with UKHSA warning of minor strain on health and social care services and higher risks for vulnerable people.
Fresher north-westerly winds should lower temperatures through the weekend, likely ending 19-day heatwave conditions recorded at Usk in Monmouthshire and Exeter in Devon.
20mm of rain may fall in parts of north-west Scotland, but much of England and Wales is expected to get only a few millimetres, with some southern areas seeing none.
Large parts of north and mid-Wales are already in drought and millions face hosepipe bans, while forecasters say hotter weather could rebuild next week with temperatures back into the 30s.