Highest daily water demand recorded in Yorkshire

Yorkshire Water has reported that the highest daily demand for water across Yorkshire reached 1.479 billion litres on 20 June 2025, approximately 200 million litres above the average daily supply for the region¹. The figure appears in the company's announcement that temporary hosepipe restrictions, introduced on 11 July following what it describes as the driest spring in 132 years and a record-breaking warm summer, were lifted on 10 December¹.

The same announcement sets out how far resources had fallen and recovered. Reservoir levels dropped to 30.6% at their lowest point and stood at 91.6% when the restrictions ended, while Hull aquifer levels were at 77% and available water resources across reservoirs, rivers and groundwater were above average for the time of year at 85.1%¹. Yorkshire Water says 22 reservoirs dropped below 20%, including Scar House, Thruscross, Baitings and Broomhead, and that without its drought management plan, the grid system that moves water around the region and customers' water saving actions, reservoirs could have dropped as low as 17.6%¹.

Between April and October, 28 drought permits and orders across 26 reservoirs and two rivers were implemented, which the company estimates helped hold back an extra 4 billion litres of water in reservoirs¹. While the restrictions were in place, Yorkshire Water says it fixed almost 15,000 leaks, a leak repaired every 25 minutes between April and December, and that the restrictions helped save around 3.1 billion litres¹. The company says customer usage went down by 10% when restrictions were first introduced and the weather was warm¹.

Why it matters for households

The demand peak fell in June, before the restrictions began in July, and the restrictions themselves have now ended, so customers in Yorkshire are able to use water as usual, with the end of the restrictions coming into effect immediately¹. Drought permit activity at Yorkshire Water's reservoirs and the region's rivers has also ended¹. Dave Kaye, director of water and wastewater at Yorkshire Water, said it is important people continue to think about their water usage and consider using water wisely throughout the year, not just during periods of drought and hot weather¹. Households on a private supply have separate concerns; the guide on what to do if your private water supply dries up covers that situation, and the water hub and heatwaves and drought hub set out wider practical background.

What happens next

Yorkshire Water says it is continuing to bring down leakage, with a £38m investment planned over the next five years, and is progressing plans to bring additional sources of water into its network through the installation of new boreholes and storage reservoirs¹. The company says it is continuing work to manage water resources carefully in the weeks and months ahead and over the long term¹.