The firm says it cannot wait until 2019 when a new reservoir is built

Folkestone and Dover Water, which serves 200,000 homes, also wants to install compulsory metering to cut down on water being wasted.

The moves come after the dry summer and autumn of 2003 diminished water supplies in the South East.

Paul Darby, managing director of the company, said water metering would be the most cost effective solution.

'More expensive'

He said: "When the government decided in 1999 it was going to alter the arrangements in the country they actually banned the compulsory metering.

"But they said any company that could prove water scarcity status, which means it is short of water and it has tried all the alternatives, then those companies will be able to compulsory meter."

Mr Darby said any alternatives to water metering, such as building new resources, would be more expensive.

"If we set the cost of the new water resources against the cost of metering you would find the most cost effective solution in our area is to do more metering."

Mr Darby said the company could not wait until 2019 when a new reservoir at Canterbury may be up and running.