Climate change: UK imposes partial hosepipe ban ahead of expected heat wave
August 6, 2022, 6:48 am

Climate change: UK imposes partial hosepipe ban ahead of expected heat wave

Heatwaves often have complex effects on human economies, due to less productivity of workers, disruption of agricultural and industrial processes and damage to infrastructure not adapted for extreme heat - Photo. Pixabay

A hosepipe ban implemented across parts of the UK on Friday (August 5) following warnings of a heatwave and growing fears of drought.

Starting 5 p.m. (1600GMT), people in southern areas of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent and Sussex will be prohibited from using hosepipes to water gardens or plants, clean cars, patios, walls and windows, or fill up pools and ponds, the Anadolu Agency reported.

“We haven’t taken this decision lightly, and we know the temporary use ban will have an impact on our customers,” said Alison Hoyle, director of risk and compliance at Southern Water, the company responsible for water distribution in the country’s south.

The ban comes as a new heat wave is expected to push temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in the coming week, with the Met Office warning of “very little meaningful rain.”

Heatwaves are most common in summer when high pressure develops across an area - Pic. Pixabay

July shattered the record for the UK’s hottest month as temperatures soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the highest since records began in 1836.

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According to the Met Office, heatwave is an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.

A UK heatwave threshold is met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. The threshold varies by UK county.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”