South East Water extends hosepipe ban to more Sussex customers

South East Water has extended its hosepipe ban to thousands more customers in Sussex who were previously exempt. 1 2 The company said the move was needed to "protect water supplies and the environment in Sussex". 1 2 Ardingly Reservoir, which supplies about 228,000 customers in Haywards Heath and surrounding areas, is 22.8% full. 1 2

A temporary hosepipe ban had already been imposed across much of South East England earlier in the summer. 1 2 The Daily Express reports that the company has also applied to the Government for a Non-Essential Use Ban, which would target commercial and other non-household water use. 1 Nick Price, South East Water's Head of Water Resources, said the company's "absolute priority is making sure there is always enough water for everyone's essential daily needs". He said the warm, dry spring and summer had dried the ground and reduced river and stream flows, leaving Sussex reservoirs extremely low, especially Ardingly, and that significant rainfall was needed to replenish aquifers. 2

GB News adds that Anglian Water, which serves about seven million customers in eastern England, has warned drought could continue into next year; its water resources manager Laura Tuplin told the BBC, "We're not at panic stations (but) it's really difficult to tell how long this will go on for". 2 GB News says the south and east of England are expected to stay largely dry this weekend, with the Met Office forecasting the heaviest rain mainly in the northwest, though a band of rain is indicated for around 9 October by WXCharts maps. 2 The outlets differ on when the extension takes effect: the Express says from Friday 9 October, while GB News says from today, 2 October. 1 2