Due to the prolonged period of warm and dry weather, South East Water said that the demand for drinking water has “reached record levels” since May.
The temporary ban, which was made public on Friday, prohibits using a hosepipe for tasks like filling a paddling pool, washing a car, or watering a yard. A punishment of up to £1000 could be imposed on anyone who violates the restriction.
According to South East Water, the biggest water usage to date was recorded on June 30 at 680 million litres, 105 million litres per day more than the summer average.
This is the second hosepipe ban to be announced this year in the UK, the announcement comes as the ban takes effect in Yorkshire.
Thames Water has threatened to ban hosepipes unless the situation with the water crisis “changes significantly.”
Where will there be a hosepipe be in the South East?
From July 18, more than 1.4 million people in Kent and Sussex will be subject to a temporary restriction on hosepipes and sprinklers.
The supplier stated that it was keeping an eye on the situation in Hampshire, Surrey, and Berkshire but has not yet enforced the ban there.
South East Water said in a statement: “Demand for drinking water in Kent and Sussex has reached record levels since May – with the ongoing warm and dry weather, we’re all using far more water than usual.
“This situation has left us with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers, so we can help our reservoirs and underground water storage recover.
“We also continue to monitor the situation in our Western region, where we serve customers in parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.”
South East Water faced criticism earlier this year after data revealed that “vast quantities” of water were lost daily due to faulty pipes.
According to research from the House of Commons Library, leaks in the company’s territory cause almost 97.4 million litres to be lost per day.
According to the data, each property wastes an average of 91 litres every day. Hosepipe bans were previously implemented by South East Water in 2023, 2022, and 2012.
Which other water company has a hosepipe ban in place?
The hosepipe ban is now under effect in Yorkshire.
The ban in Yorkshire, which has been deemed to be facing a “drought” by the Environmental Agency, prohibits homeowners from using hosepipes to clean outside surfaces, fill hot tubs and paddling pools, water gardens, and wash cars.
A punishment of £1000 could be imposed on anyone who violates the law.
Some exceptions include filling watering troughs and cleaning animals with a hosepipe, though Yorkshire Water advised users to be “as efficient as possible” when doing so.
Businesses may use a hosepipe if it is directly tied to a commercial purpose, and the 5.5 million households in Yorkshire may still use buckets or watering cans to water their gardens and wash their cars.
Yorkshire Water suggested the ban could be in place until winter.
Nicola Shaw, the chief executive of Yorkshire Water, told BBC 5 Live: “I expect it to last until the winter, as that is when the reservoirs will have recharged.”
People have been advised by West Yorkshire Police not to call 999 if they witness someone breaking the restriction.