East Anglia: Region records higher than average rainfall in April

WATER restrictions imposed at the start of this month remain firmly in place despite the fact April has been dominated by showers.

Rainfall levels in Suffolk have already exceeded the average for the month – so far 45mm of rain has been recorded at the weather station at Wattisham airfield this month and there is still nearly a week left before April turns to May.

This is just over the average for April – which is 41mm – but with forecasters predicting sunshine and showers over the course of the next few days, it is expected the monthly rainfall level will far exceed this average.

But while bosses at Anglian Water have welcomed the rain, they say it will do little to ease the drought.

Kim Huggins, from the water company, said: “The rain is welcome, but rain that falls at this time of the year tends not to get through to the underground aquifers which are really running low.

“Some of the water can bounce off hard soil, and the soil itself acts as a sponge – water only gets through to replenish the aquifers once the soil is saturated.

“You’ve also got plants growing and taking up water at this time of the year, and some of it quickly gets evaporated away.”

However there was some good news for the water company.

“Where the rain is really welcome is that gardeners and farmers don’t have a need to water crops or plants, and people aren’t looking to wash their cars. That means there is not the demand that there might otherwise be – but we would still urge people to try to conserve water as much as possible.”