So what's going on with water?

IT IS scarcely a month since areas of the North York Moors were hit by devastating flash floods. Yet now, national park chiefs have issued a fire warning to visitors because the moors are so tinder dry they fear a repeat of the September 2003 fire which tore through Fylingdales Moor.

From floods to extreme dryness in just a month. What's going on?

It is not as inexplicable as it seems.

Ironically, part of the reason why the flash floods that devastated Helmsley, Hawnby and other moors communities were so violent was because the ground was already so dry. It was baked so hard it couldn't absorb the huge quantities of water that fell so quickly.

So the water was funnelled down the Rye valley to Helmsley and other villages at the foot of the moors.

Violent as the flooding was - 70mm of rain, or a full month's-worth, fell in three hours - it did little to change the fact that overall, this has so far been a hot, dry summer.

Across the country, Britain has been enjoying a prolonged dry spell that has lasted since November, according to Julian Mayes of the Press Association weather centre. Throughout that time, rainfall has been only about 80 per cent of normal. That doesn't make for drought conditions, exactly, but winter, spring and summer have all been drier than usual.

This comes after two years in which temperatures have been above average almost every month, further baking already dry ground. So it is easy to understand why the moors are tinder dry.

The South East of England has been worst hit - hosepipe bans are already in force across much of the region - but the dry conditions do extend to much of Yorkshire too, says Julian.

The heavy rains that hit the moors last month were also localised. While the heavens opened above Hawnby, much of the rest of the moors remained dry.

The real question, therefore, is not: why are the moors dry now when they were flooded so recently? It is: just how dry is this summer - and is the heatwave going to lead to water shortages before the summer is out?

We are not looking at record drought conditions, says Julian - nothing like the drought of 1976, for example.

But we seem to be experiencing the kind of dry summer that comes along every eight to ten years, even though weathermen expect the rest of this month to be cooler and more unsettled.

There is a worrying underlying trend, too. Almost certainly, Julian says, part of the reason why temperatures have remained above average for the past two years is global warming.

In Yorkshire, average monthly temperatures over that time have been up to 1.5 degrees above normal. So over the past couple of months, for example, the average daytime temperature has been 21.5 degrees, where we would normally expect about 20 degrees.

So are water shortages in the offing?

Hopefully not, according to Steve Parsley of Yorkshire Water.

Certainly, people will notice water levels in Yorkshire reservoirs dropping, but that is normal.

In the winter, water is drawn from the region's rivers to restock the reservoirs. Over the summer, when river levels tend to be low, that can't be done for fear of harming river-dependant wildlife.

Inevitably, therefore, reservoir levels begin to fall as we draw on them. "But that's what they are designed to do," said Steve.

So we're not looking at hosepipe bans this year?

"We would never say never, but we have no plans for a hosepipe ban at the moment. Since October 1996, we've not had to impose any restrictions on our customers."

That is a good record - especially given the swingeing restrictions that the water company had to impose during the drought of 1995.

Yorkshire Water was determined that would never happen again, Steve says - and as a result, over the past ten years the company has invested £667 million in repairing and maintaining its water infrastructure.

About 5,600 kms of ageing Victorian water mains have been replaced to reduce leakage; and a new network of mains pipes and pumps has been installed to allow the region's various reservoirs and water sources to be linked together.

Leakage - water wasted by escaping from leaky mains pipes - has been reduced by 40 per cent, so helping to maintain water stocks.

And, because of the linking of the region's various water sources, if water levels in one area do fall unacceptably low, they can be topped up by water from other parts of the region where conditions have not been so dry.

If there's a drought in Sheffield, for example, the city's reservoirs can be topped up by water from North Yorkshire; and vice-versa.

So the region is now making much better use of water than ten years ago. But, with the threat of global warming looming, will the measures taken - and the further £157m earmarked for mains replacement over the next five years - be enough?

In Kent, Folkestone & Dover Water has become the first water company in the country to apply to the Government for Water Scarcity Status. If approved, this would allow the company to force its customers to have water meters installed in their homes.

Households with meters pay for the amount of water they use, rather than a flat-rate monthly sum decided by the rateable value of their property.

This reduces the amount of water used in homes by ten per cent or more, Folkestone & Dover Water claims.

Kent is chalky, so it is not good at retaining rainwater. On top of that, Folkestone & Dover is one of the driest regions of the country, with less rainfall than some parts of the Middle East. So it's not hard to see why the company might be keen to move to compulsory metering.

There is another reason for its move.

"Global warming projections indicate that the water position in the area may become even more strained," said managing director David Walton. "We are convinced that compulsory water metering is an essential step to ensure long-term security of supply and anticipate that other companies may choose to follow our lead."

There's that phrase again: global warming. Is it going to affect water supplies up here in Yorkshire too - and are we going to see Yorkshire Water moving to compulsory metering?

Nationally, the water industry is debating the possible impact of the greenhouse effect on water supplies, Steve Parsley agrees.

But while Yorkshire Water does encourage customers to conserve water where possible (see panel on picture), the situation in Yorkshire is far from being a crisis.

"So while we will watch what Folkestone & Dover is doing, it is not something that we will automatically follow," said Steve.

Yorkshire Water does offer customers the option of changing their water supply to a metered system - and this can, depending on your circumstances, save you money (see 'meter' panel above).

"But it is up to the customer to make the decision," Steve said.

:: Water bills halved - even in a house with a big garden

MORE than a quarter of households in Yorkshire - something like 500,000 customers - already pay for water through a meter.

The benefit of a meter is that you only pay for what you use - which can be good for the pocket and good for the environment, because generally metered households use less.

You could be disadvantaged, however, if you have a big family (or a big, thirsty garden) and use a lot of water. That is why Yorkshire Water leaves the decision up to the customer.

Sonia Kenson has never regretted switching to a meter two years ago. She lives with her husband and 18-year-old daughter near Selby. They have a big garden - but even so, their water bills have almost halved since the switch.

"In 2003, we were paying about £38 a month," she said. "We changed to a meter in August that year, and it went down to £17 a month. In 2004 it went up to £21 and this year it will go up to about £22. But if we were still paying on a rates basis, it would be about £40 a month this year."

Those savings have been achieved without changing the way the family uses water, Sonia says.

"We like baths, but we've always been careful. We never used to leave the taps running, and I've never been one for using a sprinkler on the garden. It has to fend for itself!"

If you do decide to switch, it is easy, Sonia says. There is a helpline to call - 0845 124 2424 - and Yorkshire Water will do the rest. "It may be worth trying," Sonia said. "If you're looking to make savings, it's a good way to do it."

:: Conserving water

Tips on how to save water:

Don't leave the tap running when you clean your teeth

Put a brick in your toilet cistern

Have a water butt in your garden and use a watering can or bucket with water from the butt to water plants

If you must use a hose, have a 'trigger' system fitted so it switches off automatically when you're not using it.

Updated: 10:37 Friday, July 22, 2005