in the grip of a new heat wave, the country implements restrictions on water consumption

The British Meteorological Service issued a heat orange alert for southern England and eastern Wales on Tuesday, August 9. This heat wave will take place between Thursday and Sunday, with temperatures reaching 35 to 36°C, less extreme than in July, when a peak temperature was recorded at over 40°C. Unheard of in the UK.

In the south, the weather “will stay dry all week, bringing no respite to the parched lands, especially in the southeast”, the Met Office has warned. Faced with extreme conditions, the state of drought has not yet been declared, but local restrictions (prohibition on watering gardens, washing cars or filling swimming pools) have already been announced in large areas. from the south of England.

For its part, Thames Water, which supplies water to 15 million customers including the capital London, has warned that it will join this movement, without setting a precise date. “Given the long-term forecast of dry weather and very hot temperatures expected this week, we expect to announce temporary bans in the coming weeks”said a spokesperson for the company.

Example of the current exceptional situation: the source of the Thames is dry and the river which crosses London does not begin to flow until about eight kilometers further downstream, unheard of. The hydrological agency warned that river levels were going “likely to remain exceptionally low in central, southern and eastern England” by October.