Water firm ends hosepipe ban for 1.4 million customers

The hosepipe ban in place for parts of Sussex and Kent has been lifted after one of the wettest Januarys since records began eased the pressures on supplies.

On 18 July, South East Water (SEW) announced a temporary use ban affecting 1.4 million customers in Sussex and Kent after the driest spring since 1893.

It has confirmed that Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex is now full after the water level dropped to below a quarter in October.

Nick Price, head of water resources, said: "Despite the recent wet weather, last year England experienced the driest spring since 1893, and the hottest summer on record, with four separate heatwaves. Our water resources felt the impact of this."

Price also thanked customers for "following the restrictions and finding ways to cut down on their water use".

Last month, as Ardingly reservoir began to fill up, the Environment Agency moved the area out of "drought" and into "recovery" status. A drought had been declared in October.

"Looking ahead, we do need people to continue to be mindful about how much water they use so we can protect our water resources and help us meet demand across the spring and summer months this year," Price said.

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