Archived Topic
Topic ID 766
30/06/2005 by nora batty
Three Valleys Water
Is the whole of Hertford served by Three Valleys Water? Should I be pleased that Hertford is ok for water, or sad that we have possibly casued a stream to dry up elsewhere?
"A stream in Buckinghamshire where Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria's trusted Prime Minister, once caught a large trout, has dried up. The Hughenden stream usually flows through the grounds of Hughenden Manor, near High Wycombe in the Chilterns, where Disraeli lived from 1848 until his death in 1881. This year it has run dry early, having done so in October last year, in 2003 and for four years in the 1990s. Though the Hughenden stream has dried up, the local water company, Three Valleys, says it has no plans to stop extracting two million litres of water a day from near its source. Nor has it any plans to impose a hosepipe ban. Jonathan Baggott, for Three Valleys, said: "We are monitoring across our supply area but we don't think it is necessary to impose a hosepipe ban. We have got to appeal to customers to be sensible. If everyone saved a couple of litres a day it would have a significant effect on the environment."
- The Daily Telegraph
0 replies
Archived Replies
Reply ID 8180
30/06/2005 by Stan
I believe it is. A hose pipe ban does seem a bit funny to mention at present :)
Reply ID 8181
30/06/2005 by nora batty
I know - I wish I could divert some of our current surplus to Hughenden !
Reply ID 8182
30/06/2005 by Ewoowar
I pass the Beane regularly on Cowbridge and until the this week the water level has seemed to be very low. Has anyonje else noticed a drop in river levels or is there anywhere to go to get some data on it?
Reply ID 8184
30/06/2005 by Victor Meldrew
I'll stop using my hosepipe when the UK stops pumping water to France!
Reply ID 8185
30/06/2005 by skanky
The Environment Agency website records the (almost) current state of the water resources for a region:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waterres/457898/?version=1&lang=_e
As you can see, the north is fine, and it's the S & SE that is in deficit. Most water for down here is from aquifers and rivers so those are the best ones to check. Notice that the Lea is at 55% of "normal" flows and groundwater levels are quite low. Reservoir levels are reasonably high.
The reason for the potential drought is that the SE has not had it's average rainfall since October of last year (up to the end of May). Most months have been at about 70% or below and Dec (I think) and Jan were at or below 50% of the average. If the hot period had been longer, then water use would have rocketed and there may have been enough extra demand to tip the balance. The average rainfall for the region for June was 64% up to 25th.
Heavy rain does not greatly alter groundwater and soil moisture deficit levels as the increased run-off takes it to the rivers more quickly.
Reply ID 8188
30/06/2005 by Drama Queen
More worrying is the fact that Hertford north's drains, that happen to be at the pedestrian crossing and all along there, in the Avenue in Bengeo and goodness knows where else, are full and overflowing with up to 4ft of water!!!! You should see the fun and games! Its great to watch us miserable commuters run and duck out of the way of spray that would cover us head to foot. Steve - get yourself out to Hertford north.. the pictures will be choice!!!!
Reply ID 8189
30/06/2005 by skanky
quote:
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
I'll stop using my hosepipe when the UK stops pumping water to France!
That's a new one to me - do you have a reference?
Reply ID 8190
30/06/2005 by Ray_by_the_Beane
In the days of the Wilson labour goverments of the 60s and 70s there was some talk about a national water grid (akin to the electricirty grid) to bring some of the water from the north to the south.
I believe (but could well be wrong) that the ginormous resovoir near Newcastle was part of that defunct scheme.
Reply ID 8192
30/06/2005 by Victor Meldrew
Nope, I think I was told it in a pub and it seems a good enough reason!! ;)
Reply ID 8193
30/06/2005 by skanky
quote:
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
Nope, I think I was told it in a pub and it seems a good enough reason!! ;)
Oh. Right, I'll stop looking then.
Reply ID 8194
30/06/2005 by skanky
quote:
Originally posted by Ray_by_the_Beane
In the days of the Wilson labour goverments of the 60s and 70s there was some talk about a national water grid (akin to the electricirty grid) to bring some of the water from the north to the south.
I believe (but could well be wrong) that the ginormous resovoir near Newcastle was part of that defunct scheme.
The biggest problem (it seems to me) is the increasing population of the south. As long as more people move to SE, the less each person will be able to use without risking droughts at time of low precipitation (reports on individual water use show that amounts haven't increased greatly in the last 20 years).
Yet another argument against Prescottshire. really.
Reply ID 8204
30/06/2005 by skanky
quote:
Originally posted by nora batty
Mr Prescott obviously thinks he's covered that ground...
http://www.watergrid.co.uk/news.html
Hmmm, I think you'd find a lot of scepticism about whether that can work effectively, and even if it could, the work may need to have started already to match the added demand by the time the houses are complete.
Reply ID 8213
30/06/2005 by Stan
I am told all that water of ours goes to Franch through the channel tunnel, we'll thats what the guy in the pub said ;-) must be true then..
Reply ID 8215
30/06/2005 by Ewoowar
quote:
Originally posted by Victor Meldrew
I'll stop using my hosepipe when the UK stops pumping water to France!
I would say that is naive. Or perhaps the complete reverse.
Reply ID 8247
01/07/2005 by skanky
quote:
Originally posted by Stan
I am told all that water of ours goes to Franch through the channel tunnel, we'll thats what the guy in the pub said ;-) must be true then..
No, they're pumping our air to France through the tunnel. [;)]
Reply ID 8249
01/07/2005 by Victor Meldrew
I'd rather that than the other way round!
Reply ID 8250
01/07/2005 by Capitalist piglet
My info was that they fly water out to France from Stanstead......
Reply ID 8253
01/07/2005 by Victor Meldrew
Actually they ship their water in to the UK from the Alps, but charge us a pretty penny for it!!
Reply ID 8254
01/07/2005 by skanky
Actually though, water is shipped to France in plastic bottles (you can get Malvern & Highland Spring, etc. water in France), and they ship it to the Uk in plastic bottles (Evian & Volvic, etc.). Which is all a bit silly, really.
Reply ID 8255
01/07/2005 by Capitalist piglet
quote:
Originally posted by skanky
Actually though, water is shipped to France in plastic bottles (you can get Malvern & Highland Spring, etc. water in France), and they ship it to the Uk in plastic bottles (Evian & Volvic, etc.). Which is all a bit silly, really.
Which adds to global warming, which may (or may not) have led to the torrential rain this week, some of which goes back into our water supply. it’s a strange old world. .....
To try & get back on topic I actually prefer tap water (from Three Valleys) kept in the fridge. It’s a tad cheaper too...
Reply ID 8265
01/07/2005 by skanky
Global warming can't directly add to the storms - which were fairly average for the UK and time of year - but can only add to the potential frequency and size over time, IMHO.
Rainfall figures for June now in, and East Anglia hit 96% of average, East Midlands 106% and South East hit 69% (all figures including the recent storms). Hertford falls into the SE region for thos figures, though I think our water company straddles all three - so will need to try and share the water around.
The rainfall for the SE will be brought down by areas like Kent which mainly avoided the recent storms. Also, it's worth noting that as storms are very localised and the rainfall stations spread out, then it's quite possible for the rainfall to be over or under-estimated when it's of this type. For instance, on Wednesday rainfall would be a lot lower in Stevenage than Hertford, and different amounts would be recorded depending on where the raingauge was sited. This may be negated by rainfall estimates based on radar readings as they can give overall rates for a whole area. I'm not sure what method is used for the figures quoted above (they are off Philip Eden's website, so we could ask him [;)] ).
Reply ID 8415
05/07/2005 by Drama Queen
Gawd, I only wanted a glass of water and to know if I can use my hosepipe !! Its turned into G8 !!![V]
23 replies