Low water levels continue at Manchester's reservoirs during weekend of extreme heat

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The extreme heat over the weekend has continued to affect some of Greater Manchester’s reservoirs.

Many parts of the country have experienced temperatures as high as 35C, with some areas facing drought conditions and hosepipe bans.

An amber heat warning was issued by the Met Office for the weekend, amid warnings of heat-related illnesses, delays to public transport and wildfires.

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Drone footage taken at Woodhead Reservoir, near Glossop, on Saturday morning (August 13) show low water levels in the sweltering heat. The pictures were taken by YouTuber Michael Springthorpe, who shares drone videos under the username airlessmean.

Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said that the weather would be ‘very dry and hot’ over the weekend, especially in parts of the south. Across Manchester, temperatures reached highs of 32C on both Saturday and Sunday.

Pictures taken from Jumbles Reservoir, which is situated near Bolton, also displayed low water levels. The pictures, captured on Sunday afternoon (August 14), showed sparse streams of water under the reservoir’s bridge as people walked by.

An official drought was declared in eight areas of England earlier this week by the National Drought Group (NDG), which comprises representatives from the Government, water companies, the Environment Agency (EA) and others. The EA warned that England’s drought could persist into next year.

John Curtin, executive director for local operations at the EA, said that after the driest summer in 50 years, it would take “weeks’ worth of rain” to replenish water sources.

Three water companies, Welsh Water, Southern Water, and South East