Over a million people in Kent and Sussex are now facing a hosepipe ban after South East Water announced new restrictions.
The water company say the driest spring in the region since 1893 has left them with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers.
The ban does not yet impact customers in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, but the situation there is being closely monitored.
South East Water say the ban will begin to be enforced from Friday July 18 and will announce further details next week.
The measures have been announced on the same day a hosepipe ban came into effect in Yorkshire.
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The restrictions, formally called a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), mean people can no longer use hosepipes to:
- Water gardens
- Wash vehicles
- Fill swimming pools
- Clean outdoor surfaces
Demand for water in the area means South East Water are pumping out 105 million litres of water a day more than the average for summer.
This demand alongside the lack of rain has left the company’s reservoir and underground water storage levels ‘really low’.
They say that without a hosepipe ban customers could face widespread issues such as low pressure or no water.
Businesses are exempt from using a hosepipe as long as it is directly related to a commercial purpose.
Other water companies are also contemplating hosepipe bans.
Thames Water, which serves 16 million Brits, warned it will announce restrictions unless the current water shortage ‘changes significantly’.
South Staffordshire Water also indicated to Metro yesterday that hosepipe bans were on the table for their customers.
Other water companies told us about concerns at the low water level and high demand during the heatwave.
David Hinton, Chief Executive Officer, South East Water, said today: ‘Providing the public water supply during this prolonged period of hot and dry weather continues to be challenging.
‘Despite asking for customers’ help to use water for essential uses only, regrettably we’ve now been left with no choice but to introduce this temporary use ban restriction to protect customers supplies and the environment across Kent and Sussex.
‘Restricting the use of hosepipes and sprinklers to make sure we have enough water for our customers’ essential use will ensure we can serve our vulnerable customers and to protect the local environment.
‘The temporary restrictions, announced today, will mean customers will be prevented from using hosepipes for watering their gardens, washing cars, windows and patios, or filling swimming and paddling pools.
‘We are very aware that climate change and other factors are increasing the frequency of these events. Hosepipe restrictions are an integral part of our drought mitigation in the UK and are designed to protect supplies and the environment.’
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