THE heatwave which has seen East Lancashire bathed in sunshine this month will have ‘no effect’ on water supplies, according to United Utilities.

The mercury has hit 27 degrees over the past few weeks, with people enjoying record temperatures across the country.

But the water company said it had no plans to introduce a hosepipe ban, although it urged people not to waste water.

A spokesman for United Utilities said: “The water levels in our reservoirs are at a level that we expect for this time of year, and there are no problems with the water supply at this time.

“Even if the weather continues as it is, we do not think that there will be a problem.

“There are no plans at the moment to introduce a hosepipe ban in East Lancashire, but we would ask people to use water responsibly. and not waste it.

“If people do not do this. then they run the risk of using too much and we then might have to, but it’s always difficult to look into the future.”

A hosepipe ban hit East Lancashire for the first time in 14 years in 2010, after bosses at United Utilities said reservoir stocks were so low that a drought plan had to be implemented.

The period from January to May was the driest since records began, with half the rainfall normally seen. It left reservoirs 60per cent full, when they would normally have been at least 80per cent.

Meanwhile, forecasters are predicting no immediate end to the heat.

Sarah Holland, from the Met Office, said: “We have seen this hot weather for over a week now and it is set to last until at least the end of the month. We have just been through the hottest day of the year, but there might be some more unsettled weather on the way.”