Hosepipe bans are being implemented in southern England as water companies respond to falling reservoir levels and record demand. South East Water has introduced restrictions affecting 1.4 million customers in Kent and Sussex, driven by recent warm, dry weather. Yorkshire Water has also enacted a ban, emphasizing the need to conserve water to protect local environments. Violators face fines under the Water Industry Act. Thames Water warns further restrictions may follow unless water conditions improve, with surging demand causing significant strain on resources.
More than 1.4 million customers across Kent and Sussex will face a hosepipe and sprinkler ban from 18 July, South East Water has confirmed. The decision follows "record levels" of demand during weeks of warm, dry weather, with usage spiking at 680 million litres a day - far above the summer average. "If we don't put a hosepipe ban in place now, there's a really high risk of customers experiencing widespread issues such as low pressure or no water," a South East Water spokesperson said.
Yorkshire Water was the first company to act, announcing a ban in early July. "We need to take action now to help conserve water and protect Yorkshire's environment," said Dave Kaye, director of water at Yorkshire Water. "With more dry weather forecast in the coming weeks, our stocks will likely continue to fall, so we need to act now to maintain clean water supplies and long‑term river health."
Thames Water, which supplies 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley, has warned it may impose a hosepipe ban unless the water shortage "changes significantly." The company says the combination of prolonged dry weather and surging customer demand has placed an "unprecedented strain on supplies."
Collection
[
|
...
]