Southern Water becomes latest company to bring in hosepipe ban amid dry weather
The move aims to protect the Test and Itchen chalk streams, which supply most of the area's water, but are at 'critically low levels', down 24% on normal flows for the time of year, Southern Water said.
It is the latest announcement by water companies bringing in hosepipe bans in response to the driest start to the year since 1976 for England.
Rainfall across England was 20% less than the long-term average for June, which was also the hottest on record for the country, with two heatwaves driving unusually high demand for water, the Environment Agency has said.
More heatwave conditions have followed in July, with the Met Office warning weather extremes such as heat have become the 'norm' for the UK as a result of climate change driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels.
Drought was declared in East and West Midlands on Tuesday, with the region joining swathes of northern England in drought status.
Yorkshire Water became the first major water company to bring in a hosepipe ban which came into effect last Friday.
South East Water has announced a hosepipe ban in Kent and Sussex from Friday, and Thames Water is bringing in a ban from next Tuesday for customers in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, most of Wiltshire and some parts of Berkshire.
Southern Water's water managing director Tim McMahon said: 'We're sorry we're taking this step, but as other water companies have already done, we have to respond to the widespread and prolonged dry weather affecting our region.
'In our case, this means a hosepipe ban for our customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to protect the health of our amazing chalk streams, which as one of the rarest habitats on earth has been compared to the Amazon Rainforest.
'We must act now to support the wildlife that live there, including Atlantic salmon and southern damselfly.'
He said the company has been working '24/7' to find and fix leaks, and ensuring the network is working as efficiently as possible, but it is 'not enough', and he urged customers to help to reduce use by adhering to the ban.
Meanwhile Anglian Water, which supplies drinking water to 4.3 million customers across the East of England – the driest part of the country – said recent rain has prevented the need for a hosepipe ban, but one could still be required this summer.
Recent rain has helped river and reservoir levels and more is predicted for the coming weeks, but with an 'exceptionally dry' few months and uncertainty over the forecast, a hosepipe ban may yet be needed, the utility said.
The warning comes after East Anglia was among the regions moved into prolonged dry weather status, at the same time drought was declared in the East and West Midlands.
Anglian Water's director of water services, Ian Rule, said: 'The East of England is the driest part of the country so we're used to seeing a lack of rainfall in our region and we plan accordingly.
'Our focus on leakage, and the investment we've put in place to give us resilience in the face of climate change, has helped to delay the need for restrictions, but the last few months have been exceptionally dry, even by our standards.
'River levels had been looking very low following the historically dry spring, but they have responded better than expected to recent rainfall.
'There is also some rain in the forecast over the coming weeks which, if it materialises, could provide some welcome respite for the region's rivers and reservoirs.
'However, the forecast is far from certain, so we're closely monitoring the situation and if the exceptionally dry weather does continue, then restrictions might still be needed this summer.'
He also said the dry ground means water pipes are at greater risk of shifting and breaking, and the company is facing an increase in issues being reported, with teams working round the clock to fix burst and leaking pipes.
The company does not want to put restrictions in place unnecessarily, he added, but protecting the environment and the region's 'vital' agricultural sector means leaving as much water in the environment as possible.
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