Hosepipe ban introduced in Kent and Sussex as UK faces drought fears
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Residents in Kent and Sussex have been hit with a hosepipe and sprinklers ban, with South East Water introducing the measure to tackle dry weather.
The water company is the second firm to launch such a ban, with the measure taking effect from Friday 12 August.
England saw its driest July since 1935 last month, triggering the National Drought Group to move the country into “Prolonged Dry Weather” status, the stage before a drought.
In a statement, South East Water said a demand for water this summer “has broken all previous records, including the Covid lockdown heatwave.”
It continued: “We have been producing an additional 120m litres of water a day to supply our customers, which is the equivalent of supplying a further four towns the size of Maidstone or Eastbourne, daily.”
“We are taking this step to ensure we have enough water for both essential use and to protect the environment. This will enable us to also reduce the amount of water we need to take from already stressed local water sources.”
There was just eight per cent of the month’s average rainfall in July, with a long-term forecast for August and September for similiar, South East Water told the BBC.
Residents are not allowed to water gardens, clean private cars or water plants on domestic properties using a hosepipe.
They also cannot fill or maintain swimming, paddling pools or ponds for domestic use, as well as ornamental fountains.
The water company’s decision follows Southern Water, which last week announced a hosepipe ban on Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from this Friday.