South East Water has confirmed the imposition of a ban on the use of hosepipes and sprinklers across Kent and Sussex.
The company stated that it “had no choice” due to the driest July on record.
The law, which takes effect on August 12 and affects at least one million people, carries a £1,000 fine for violators.
During last month’s hot weather warnings and water shortages, the water corporation pleaded with the public to only use water for vital purposes.
The prohibition prohibits the use of a hosepipe to water plants, wash a vehicle, or fill a wading pool.
A representative for South East Water stated that July’s record-breaking heat compounded the driest eight-month period since 1976.
He stated that July received only 8 percent of the usual rainfall for the month, and the long-term outlook for August and September is for similar conditions.
Southern Water announced a hosepipe ban for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight last week.
The prohibition in the South East prohibits the use of sprinklers, irrigation systems, and pressure washers, as well as anything built, adapted, or used for the same purpose as a hosepipe.
The representative for the water business continued, “We have been producing an additional 120 million liters of water each day for our customers, which is comparable to serving four additional towns the size of Maidstone or Eastbourne per day.
We are compelled to limit the usage of hosepipes and sprinklers.
The prohibition follows weeks of disruptions to countywide water supplies caused by several burst pipes during the heatwave.
Thousands of residences on the Isle of Sheppey had no access to potable water for at least three days, while Challock and Molash were without water for at least five days.
David Hinton, the company’s chief executive officer, stated that dry ground conditions and the resulting earth movement caused a 50 percent increase in the number of ruptured pipelines.
Last month, South East Water’s operations director, Douglas Whitfield, expressed concern about water levels and urged consumers to “seriously consider their water usage… and use water only for vital purposes.”
However, he anticipated water shortages to be a “short-term” issue at the moment.
