Thousands of bottles of water were handed out in Ripon this afternoon after a burst water main left around 4,000 homes without water all day.
Yorkshire Water set up an emergency bottled water station at Ripon fire station for thirsty residents, which had a steady stream of people in cars coming to pick up bottles of H2O, helped by on shift firefighters.
Mike and Kay had only just returned to Thornborough, north of Ripon, this afternoon after a holiday in Krakow, Poland. Mike said:
“We’re waiting for a decent cup of tea!”
Colin from Copt Hewick was there to collect water for his pets.
“We’ve got animals, four dogs, so you’ve got to think of them first.”
Ripon firefighters help out.
Ant, from Stockton-on-Tees, holidays at a static caravan at Riverside Meadows holiday park. He said:
“It was a shock to wake up this morning and not be able to flush the toilet! I’m taking plenty of bottles for my neighbours too.”
Whilst spirits were generally high, one woman gave a Yorkshire Water employee a hard time over what she said was poor communication. The company has been slow to tell the public when normal water supply will resume.
She said its website had barely been updated all day so had tried to find updates on Twitter.
Her opinion was shared by Bishop of Ripon, Helen-Ann Hartley, who described communication from the water company as “unacceptable”.
https://twitter.com/HartleyHAM/status/1560284278331678720?s=20&t=LM9oGeOd6ls30OEDNSuu6A
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The burst water main on North Street has caused more disruption than a typical water leak, with many homes now without water for 12 hours.
Supermarkets in Ripon ran out of bottled water earlier today.
A Yorkshire Water employee told the Stray Ferret that service was likely to return at around 7pm but similar promises earlier today did not materialise.
The stock of water was quickly depleted.
One woman who arrived at the emergency bottled water station said to make sure there was room in the boot for a wine delivery that she was going to collect afterwards. “I can’t turn water into wine!” joked the Yorkshire Water employee, as he carried some bottles into her car.
More bottles of water will be available from Ripon Racecourse until 9pm.
Water returns to some properties in RiponWater has returned to some homes in Ripon following a burst pipe on North Road this morning.
Many properties in the city have had no water or low water pressure all morning.
Some companies in Ripon were forced to close, including the coffee shop at Larkhill Nurseries and the Water Rat pub. The latter has now reopened.
The problem has also affected people in nearby villages Sharow and Littlethorpe, as well as further afield in Thirsk.
Residents on Lead Lane in Ripon told the Stray Ferret at about midday that water had come back on, as have residents living in Deep Ghyll Croft and Saint Marygate. However, one person living in Sharow says water is still off as of midday.
Yorkshire Water has been slow to tell the public when normal water supply will resume.
North Road will soon be closed to traffic whilst repairs take place.
A spokesperson issued the following statement.
“Our teams are dealing with a burst 12-inch water main on North Road, Ripon. We are currently working to rezone our network and return water supply to those affected.
“To allow our teams to complete the repair safely, traffic management will be required. We’re working closely with North Yorkshire County Council highways teams to minimise disruption.”
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Ripon area hit by water outage
People in Ripon have woken up to no water in their homes this morning due to a burst main.
People took to social media to report the outage across the city.
The problem has also affected residents in nearby Sharow village and Littlethorpe.
Others said water pressure was low in their homes.
On its website, Yorkshire Water said it was working to restore its service to the HG4 area.
It said:
“We’re really sorry but customers may have low pressure or no water in the area. We’re working hard to get your water back to normal as soon as possible.
“Once it’s fixed, your water may be cloudy or discoloured – you can clear this by running your tap for a few minutes.”
James Thornborough. a Sharow resident, told the Stray Ferret the water company had been slow to notify customers of the problem and vague in providing details.
He also said the problem had led to a big demand on bottled water at Morrisons this morning.
We will update this story as we get more details.
Are you affected by the water outage? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
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‘Serious concerns’ over Swinsty Reservoir parking charges plan
Residents have raised serious concerns over plans to introduce parking charges at Swinsty Reservoir.
Yorkshire Water has tabled proposals to Harrogate Borough Council to introduce parking machines and automatic number plate recognition cameras at the car park.
The company also plans to trial charges at Fewston and Thruscross reservoirs in the Harrogate district.
The reservoirs are popular beauty spots that attract numerous visitors and dog walkers.
There are fears the charges would encourage them to park on the roadside to avoid payment and block the route for emergency vehicles.
Similar concerns were expressed during covid lockdowns when the car parks were closed.
Cllr Graham Hebblethwaite, who sits on Washburn Parish Council, said:
“We have very serious concerns because everything is working well at the moment with the car parks.
“If they start to charge, then people may start to park on the road.”
He added:
“The area is open to all walks of life. Peacefulness plays a major part in a lot of people’s lives who are in desperate need of this within the present climate.
“The proposed car parking charges may create more stress. It would be nice if Yorkshire Water, who have made very large profits in recent years recent years, seriously considered the need to charge.”
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Some local residents have written to the council expressing similar fears.
Richard Pullen, who lives in West End, told the authority that the proposal would create “a further divide” between those who live in the area and those who visit.
He said:
“Putting parking meters in will push traffic onto roads causing blockages and damage to the already narrow roads, inconveniencing emergency services, farmers and others who need access.
“It is going to cause a further divide between people that live in the countryside and those visiting.”
Cars parked outside Swinsty reservoir when lockdown restrictions were eased but the car parks remained closed.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said:
“As we said when we announced our plans to trial the parking charges at Swinsty and other reservoirs, the revenue generated from the parking charges will contribute towards the provision of Yorkshire Water’s first in-house Ranger team. Three rangers will be based in the north area, which includes Swinsty, and so this will be one of the sites they focus on.
“They will be engaging with visitors helping to reduce the things such as fires and BBQs, swimming, littering, fly-tipping and genera anti-social behaviour. They will also support the maintenance and conservation of the site making repairs, improving wildlife habitats and litter picking. Money from the parking charges will also be reinvested across Yorkshire Water’s sites to deliver nature conservation, countryside management and improvement of facilities at reservoir sites.
“The project is a trial and impacts, if any, of dispersed parking will be monitored and we will keep in regular contact with the Parish Council throughout the trial period.
“As we aren’t responsible for the roads in the area, we are continuing to work with the local council, the Police and Highways England to look at solutions to deter/prevent unsafe and inappropriate parking.
“We are committed to working with key stakeholders to monitor the impact of the parking charges during the trial period including both negatives and positives.”
Those who use the car park will be able to pay via car payment on site, by using the RingGo app or telephone.
Emergency services and blue badge holders will be exempt from the charges.
The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3, an all day pass for £5 and an annual pass for £30.
Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions, based in York, have been appointed to operate the parking meters.
Harrogate district now officially in droughtThe Environment Agency declared drought status in Yorkshire today due to low water levels.
This year’s prolonged spell of dry weather has led to exceptionally low river flows and reservoirs levels in the county.
Last week’s heatwave has added further pressure on the water network.
Moving to drought status means that the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water can implement stricter controls on water use.
Yorkshire Water has already announced a hosepipe ban that will come into effect from August 26.
The last drought in Yorkshire was declared in autumn 2018.
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The region joins large parts of England which moved to drought status on August 12.
Victoria Slingsby, environment planning and engagement manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said:
Hosepipe ban introduced for Harrogate district“The high temperatures we are experiencing have exacerbated pressures on wildlife and our water environment in Yorkshire. These extreme weather conditions become more likely with climate change.
“We are experiencing some much-needed rain this week, but it will not be enough to correct weeks of dry weather, and it will take more prolonged rainfall to wet up soils and replenish rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels.
“It’s important for everyone to manage the amount of water they are using in this exceptionally dry period.”
The Harrogate district will be covered by a hosepipe ban from August 26.
Yorkshire Water announced this morning it was introducing the measure as England teeters on the brink of a drought.
It will be the area’s first hosepipe ban since 1995.
Neil Dewis, its director of water, said:
“Parts of Yorkshire have seen the lowest rainfall since our records began more than 130 years ago.
“The hot, dry, weather means that Yorkshire’s rivers are running low and our reservoirs are around 20% lower than we would expect for this time of year.
“We’ve been doing everything we can to avoid putting in restrictions but unfortunately, they’re now necessary as part of our drought planning.
Mr Dewis said Yorkshire Water had reduced water lost by leaky pipes by 50% since 1995/6 but the measure was still necessary.
But he said the “trigger point” for a ban had now been reached.
He added:
“We need to make sure that we have enough supply for the essential needs of people across the region this year and next, as well as making sure we’re able to protect our local environment by limiting the amount of water we have to draw from the rivers.
“Our decision to introduce a hosepipe ban is based on the risk that water stocks continue to fall in the coming weeks and the need to be cautious about clean water supplies and long term river health.”
A hosepipe ban also allows Yorkshire Water to apply for drought permits from the Environment Agency, which means it can abstract more water from rivers.
The hosepipe ban includes:
Watering a garden using a hosepipe
Cleaning vehicles or boats using a hosepipe
Watering plants with a hosepipe
Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use
Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe
Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe
People can still undertake these activities without using a hosepipe if they use tap water from a bucket or watering can; or use water that is not sourced from taps such as grey water, rainwater from a water butt, or a private borehole, for example.
Businesses will be allowed to use a hosepipe if it is directly related to a commercial purpose.
There are restrictions on using a hosepipe if not for those essential commercial needs – so using a hosepipe to clean a path outside a business property, for example, would not be allowed.
Blue badge holders, those on Yorkshire Water’s Priority Services register or WaterSure tariff for medical reasons, are also excluded from the ban.
More information is available here.
Read more:
- No hosepipe ban for Harrogate district despite falling water levels
- Yorkshire Water introduces parking charges at Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross
Yorkshire Water submits Swinsty parking machines plan
Yorkshire Water has submitted plans for payment machines and number plate recognition cameras at Swinsty reservoir.
The moves comes as the company is set to trial parking charges at three reservoirs within the Harrogate district.
Charges will also be introduced at Thruscross and Fewston.
Yorkshire Water said previously that the revenue generated will help to pay for an in-house rangers team, which would do maintenance jobs and tackle anti-social behaviour at its sites.
As part of the plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, automatic number plate recognition cameras and machines on the existing Swinsty car park.
The company said in documents submitted to the authority:
“The car parking itself provides an important functional element to ensure the management of parking to Swinsty Reservoir and the wider area.
“The site is a long-established car park, and it is not anticipated that the introduction of pay and display facilities would generate a greater use of or cause any greater impact than that arising from the current usage of the site by visitors.”
Read more:
- Parking meters installed in Ripley car park
- Reservoir parking costs could cause ‘tremendous problems’ on nearby roads
Those who use the car park will be able to pay via car payment on site, by using the RingGo app or telephone.
Emergency services and blue badge holders will be exempt from the charges.
The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3, an all day pass for £5 and an annual pass for £30.
Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions, based in York, have been appointed to operate the parking meters.
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
No hosepipe ban for Harrogate district despite falling water levelsA hosepipe ban is not being introduced in the Harrogate district despite continuing dry weather — but Yorkshire Water has said it “cannot rule it out” in future.
The water company is advising people to reduce their usage as much as possible as water levels remain low in Swinsty, Fewston and Thruscross reservoirs to the west of Harrogate, as well as Scar House and Grimwith in Nidderdale.
However, despite there being no rain in the forecast for the coming fortnight, the authority has not said it will follow in the footsteps of others by introducing a hosepipe ban.
A spokesperson for the company said:
“Yorkshire has experienced a particularly dry spring and summer and the reservoirs and rivers in our region are seeing the impact. Reservoir levels are currently around 51% – they declined by 2% over the last week despite the rainfall we had across Yorkshire.
“We’re always asking our customers to reduce their usage where they can and allow their lawns to go brown, not wash the car for a few weeks and turn the taps off when they’re brushing their teeth to stop waste and reduce the likelihood of restrictions later in the summer.
“We’re working around the clock to move water around our network of pipes to keep taps flowing and we’re doing our bit to save water where we can too. Our team of leakage inspectors are out and about across Yorkshire, working hard to save water from leaky pipes, and are prioritising larger leaks.”
Hosepipe bans take effect today in Hampshire, with Kent and Surrey to follow next week. This morning, it was announced that a further ban will be applied in south-west Wales from Friday, August 19.
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- ‘Use water wisely’ plea as reservoir levels drop in Harrogate district
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Meeting called to hear concerns about state of River Nidd
Anglers, Yorkshire Water and Andrew Jones MP are to meet this month to discuss concerns about the quality of water in the River Nidd.
The meeting will focus on the foul smell and state of the river near Darley sewage treatment works.
But it will also consider the wider issue of the Nidd’s health, which is under the spotlight after a spate of young people who swam in it fell ill during last month’s heatwave.
Seven angling groups that fish from the source of the Nidd to where it flows into the Ouse will be represented at the meeting by Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club, which is based in Darley.
The meeting, at Darley Memorial Hall, will also be attended by Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones, Darley and Menwith Parish Council and Yorkshire Water.
Anglers have requested Yorkshire Water provide data about the design and operation of Darley sewage treatment works.
The Environmental Information Regulations provide a statutory right of access to environmental information held by public bodies.
Read more:
- Sickness outbreak prompts concerns River Nidd is not safe for swimming
- UK’s largest weir removal project begins on River Nidd at Scotton
David Clayden, honorary secretary of Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club, said there were concerns about the amount of sewage being pumped into the Nidd and he hoped the meeting might lead to some answers. He said:
“We are trying to understand why Yorkshire Water think the Nidd is OK when it doesn’t seem like it is to us.”
Mr Clayden added that the river was fishing well but dead trout and grayling could often be seen floating on the surface.
The Nidd is predominantly a fly fishing river containing trout and grayling but the lower reaches contain significant numbers of coarse fish, such as roach and chub.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:
Sickness outbreak prompts concerns River Nidd is not safe for swimming“We’re due to meet with the MP and the local angling group to discuss the operation of our treatment works, as well as listen to any points they would like to raise about the health of the river.”
Parents have expressed concerns about the safety of swimming in the River Nidd after a spate of children falling ill.
There have been widespread reports on social media of young people suffering sickness and diarrhoea since they went in the river to cool down during last week’s heatwave.
Most of those affected had been in the water at Knaresborough.
Environment Agency figures revealed raw sewage was pumped into the Nidd for 16,713 hours last year. Parents say there should be more signs alerting people to danger.
Jennyfields mum Lisa Poole, whose three sons are still unwell 10 days on, said there is a public health risk that needs highlighting. She said:
“My boys went swimming at Conyngham Hall on the Sunday (July 17) and are still not right. They’ve had vomiting and explosive diarrhoea.
“At least 50 people have said on social media that the same thing happened to their families.
“My family won’t ever swim in the river again so what happens now makes no difference to us but we think something should be done to warn other people of the danger.”
The River Nidd at Knaresborough
Harrogate mum Julie Mills, who was among the first to highlight the issue on social media, agreed.
Her teenage daughter and three friends swam near Conyngham Hall last week. She said:
“My daughter is a real water baby who is used to the river but she and her friends were all ill.
“Nearly everybody we have spoken to who went into the river was ill afterwards. Something’s not right.”
‘Legitimate questions’
David Clayden, honorary secretary of Harrogate Fly Fishers’ Club, said there were legitimate questions about water quality considering the amount of raw sewage being pumped into the Nidd.
He said the problem was exacerbated at times when the water level is low, such as now, when the river needed a good flush.
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The Stray Ferret asked Yorkshire Water, which treats water on the Nidd, if it was aware of an outbreak of sickness among river swimmers during the heatwave.
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said:
“The river is a natural environment and contains bacteria from a variety of sources that may cause illness if swallowed.
“We have checked the performance of our equipment in the area and have found no evidence of any discharges from storm overflows or combined sewer overflows in the days before Friday 15th, or since.
“Our wastewater treatment works have continued to treat wastewater and return it to the environment as normal.”
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for public health, said it wasn’t aware of any issues.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said it wasn’t aware of any recent pollution incidents on the Nidd but advised people against swimming in rivers unless they were designated bathing areas.