Water company bosses are being urged to impose an England-wide hosepipe ban as Hertfordshire chalk streams are said to be “very low”.

The Wildlife Trusts said action to reduce water use and pollution is needed to help the natural world, which has been hit by months of little rainfall combined with heatwaves.

Chalk streams, an important habitat for creatures including otters, water voles and kingfishers, are very low across Hertfordshire and other parts of southern England, the federation of independent nature charities warned.

Currently Affinity Water, that supplies water to 3.83 million customers across Hertfordshire and other areas, said they are “unlikely” to see any hosepipe ban this year.

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The company’s website says: “At current levels, it’s unlikely we’ll need to introduce restrictions this year.”

But the group of conversations have disagreed after specifically calling out Hertfordshire chalk streams.

It also said the extreme conditions have left landscapes parched with wildfires breaking out at nature reserves and aquatic nature endangered by concentrated levels of pollutants in low-flowing rivers.

Watford Observer: Dead grass is becoming a common sight across England since the extreme heat. Credit: PADead grass is becoming a common sight across England since the extreme heat. Credit: PA

The trusts are calling for the Government to set a fixed target under the Environment Act in England for reducing water use and require the installation of meters.

They also want to see a crackdown on pollution, including investigations and penalties for illegal sewage discharges, enforcing rules to protect rivers from agricultural run-off and ensuring new developments help to reduce the problem.

Ali Morse, water policy manager for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Nature is really struggling with extreme weather, and we need to act now to ensure our parched landscapes and rivers – the natural environment that provides us with food and water – are more resilient in the future.

“It is critical to create more space for nature to keep land from drying out and give support to landowners for projects, such as beaver releases, that help ecosystems to recover.

“Water bosses should unite and impose a country-wide hosepipe ban to reduce non-essential use and avoid the worst impacts of drought on rivers and wildlife, rather than relying on more damaging measures later.”