jbm wrote:
The hose pipe ban started on 5th April. We had some rain on the 3rd, and
the 4th, and the 5th; in fact it has rained everyday since. Some days
not much, others quite a bit, which is just what we need. From the 3rd,
daily figures are 6.0, 18.3, 2.1, 0.0, 0.6, 0.6 & 11.4. [That 0.0 for
Friday is a down right lie! I got wet coming back from the shop at
lunchtime. Obviously not enough to tip the gauge though.]

When I was out this afternoon, I did notice that the last few days
hadn't really affected anything, and the local stream was still only a
couple of inches deep when it should be over a foot. But this evening's
rain, 7.8mm since 6pm, has had a real impact on the area.

1. I had to dodge the puddles on the footpaths on the way to the park.
2. Really serious squelching underfoot on the walk round the park.
3. Puddles forming all over the football field.
... and ...
4. And I've had to give the dog a good rub down and drying twice in this
last week.

And that is the first time for ages that any of those have happened.
Certainly not over the winter. Rain we badly need, and at last we are
getting it, though it has taken 7 days to make an impact on the ground.
With upper levels of the soil now becoming waterlogged, perhaps we will
get some meaningful run off from the fields, which in turn should start
filling the rivers. The forecast on the Cumulus program is "Stormy, much
precipitation". Here's hoping.

Perhaps Anglian Water should have brought in the hosepipe ban a year ago.

jim, Northampton

-----------------------------------
Surprisingly, although in the Anglian Water region we are supplied by
Essex and Suffolk Water who don't have a hosepipe ban while all the
Water Companies adjacent to me do. I think perhaps they should have
though. Only 4.5mm yesterday which had little impact. Tipped us over the
100mm for the year so far though.
Dave, S.Essex