30/09/11
Few of us thought, as we watched the rain in falling in July, that some parts of the country would be basking in barbeque weather in October. As with all hot spells, this will no doubt place extra demands on water resources.
Meteorologists say we are on track for one of the warmest early autumns on record.
Careful investment and planning by the industry ensured that, despite the exceptionally dry spring, water resources were resilient over the summer. However, if there are several consecutive dry seasons, many companies will face challenging conditions.
Planning is hard: the Met Office admits that forecasting three to six months ahead is difficult to do with reliability, and despite the appearance of a wet, cold summer, rainfall in many areas is below the long-term average.
Companies will continue to talk to their customers about the easy water-saving measures and work with the communities they serve to ensure a resilient water supply.
