The declaration today of drought conditions in the Midlands and the South West means that more than half the population of the UK is now covered by water restrictions. These regions join seven water company areas where hosepipe bans have been in force for almost a fortnight. For this to occur before the end of April is unprecedented. There is nothing more important than maintaining an adequate supply of water; yet this is not something we often need to worry about with our maritime climate. Indeed, people living in the largest part of the country in terms of area will wonder what all the fuss is about.
Scotland and Northern Ireland in particular have had plenty of rain. However, in the East and South, the past 18 months have been exceptionally dry, especially the two winters. Even if it rains continuously now for weeks (which is always a possibility), the Environment Agency expects restrictions to last until Christmas and beyond. For gardeners this is a dispiriting prospect as they watch their treasured lawns dry up and their plants wilt. But why do the adverse impact of drought orders have to fall disproportionately hard on domestic customers?
If normal market conditions operated, prices would rise when supply is low; but the water companies instead try to reduce consumption while maintaining a price cap. Is this sensible? The hosepipe ban is a blunt instrument and an economically irrational one. It does not restrict water use, merely the means of transporting it. A gardener prepared to fill up a watering can dozens of times can continue to maintain a verdant sward and a splash of colour along its borders.
The hosepipe ban has become the default reaction to drought conditions when, as Tim Leunig argues today, a more imaginative approach, using differential pricing, could benefit all users and reduce waste. It is also questionable how seriously the ban is taken since there are rarely any prosecutions and the water companies rely upon community self-policing to keep those tempted to flout the ban in check. Perhaps a better approach would be to let people pay extra for what they use rather than simply banning particular types of delivery system.
Another approach, from which politicians instinctively recoil but which may have to be considered, is compulsory metering. Germany, where all households are metered, uses about 30 per cent less water than we do. In addition, the water companies need to do more to plug leaks and move water from high rainfall areas to drought zones. This is our most precious resource and we can no longer take it for granted.