Anglian Water holds key talks with MP on impact of drought and heatwaves
Challenges posed by the ongoing drought and the summer’s extreme weather were the subject of keynote talks involving Louth and Horncastle’s MP.
Although heavy rain and thunderstorms hit many areas of Lincolnshire over the weekend, the county remains in drought status after several heatwaves since May.
So Conservative MP Victoria Atkins visited Covenham Reservoir, next to Louth Navigation Canal, to meet engineers from Anglian Water and discuss the impact the weather has had, including for farmers in the region.
She chatted about topics such as the hosepipe ban imposed on households, poor harvests and falling reservoir levels.
Luckily, Covenham is in better condition than many other reservoirs across England, but it is still significantly below the level normally expected going into September. And it is likely to drop further unless we see a period of sustained rainfall.
Ms Atkins said at the meeting that a key focus must be on improving long-term water resilience.
With intense downpours and flash flooding becoming more common, she is calling on the Labour government to make it easier for agricultural and rural businesses to establish small on-farm reservoirs.
This would enable them to capture excess water during periods of heavy rain and reduce pressure on water supplies during droughts.
The MP said: “The government has been far too slow to act with the droughts across the country this year.
"If farmers could capture and store water, it would mean they were better prepared for droughts, and our food and water security would increase.”
Ms Atkins also encouraged Anglian Water to do more to publicise its repair work so residents can see the action being taken to reduce water loss through leaks during the hosepipe ban.
And she discussed local development, as well as the importance of ensuring flood mitigation measures and upgraded water infrastructure are central to future planning decisions.
Speaking after the meeting, the MP said: “Local residents are already facing rising household costs.
"Protecting our community means safeguarding our water supply, supporting local food production and keeping bills as affordable as possible.
"I will continue to monitor the situation closely – especially ahead of expected flooding later this year.”
Anglian Water has lots of water-saving advice and information about leaks and hosepipe restrictions on its website.