Garden water use soars in the heat

Southern Water is to restrict the use of hosepipes and garden sprinklers in its north Sussex area within the next three weeks.

It said the ban followed four months of below-average rainfall.

Rainfall levels similar to those in the drought of 1976 have left resources well below where they should be for the time of year, Southern Water said.

The company said it was moving water around its area to rest key sources for the summer.

Water planning and strategy manager Meyrick Gough said restrictions on sprinklers and hosepipe use "will ensure there is enough water for household use through the summer".

Recharge period 'crucial'

Southern Water said garden watering normally makes up about 6% of water use, but on hot days it could soar to 70%.

Garden sprinklers us as much water in an hour as six people use in a day.

In April, Sutton and East Surrey Water banned the use of garden sprinklers and unattended hosepipes because of the continued low rainfall.

It said its supply area had received only 65% of average rainfall during the crucial autumn to early spring recharge period.

"This is the eighth lowest rainfall for this period since the company started recording rainfall data in 1910," the company said.