Hosepipe Ban

Due to underground water supplies still being too low, Mid Kent Water have announced their Hosepipe and Sprinkler ban will stay in place. The water company – which provides services to 580,000 customers in Kent – is the only one to retain a ban. The region relies on underground reserves or...

South East Water have announced that their hosepipe and sprinkler ban will be lifted from tomorrow (Wednesday 7th of February). The company stated that 4 months of above average rainfall has “significantly improved key underground sources” which account for three quarters of all their supplies. However...

Following our report yesterday that three water companies had lifted their hosepipe bans, Thames Water have now stated that their ban is over too. A spokesperson from Thames Water said: “The good news is that the recent wet weather has allowed us to fill our reservoirs. It has taken some time for...

At last, three water companies have lifted their hosepipe bans with the rest looking at following them. Southern Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water and Three Valleys Water all announced today that the lifting of restrictions would come into effect from midnight. This winter has seen all of England and...

Despite positive comments from Thames Water this weekend stating that the hosepipe ban being lifted was “increasingly likely”, they refused to name a date. Although we’ve recently seen higher than average rainfall, widespread flooding and reservoirs filled to the top, an end to the...

Even though we’re in the middle of a wet and windy winter the hosepipe bans stay in place with seven water companies. However, the Environment Agency is positive about the near future. They state the following this week: “A wet autumn and a wet start to the winter have meant most reservoirs...

So, the beginning of October arrives and we start folding away the garden furniture and sticking the barbecue back in the garden shed. Another summer over with months of cold and rain to look forward to. But we still can’t use our hosepipes? Although August recorded the second wettest week of 2006,...

A new poll of people living in the south of England reveals that 29 per cent of those polled (just over 1000) have broken the ban at some point. As almost 13 million people are affected by a banning order, this equates to 3.7 million people ignoring the ban. A greater percentage (46%) said they thought...

When you don’t get in trouble for ignoring it. So what’s the point of having a hosepipe ban when those who are caught flouting the rules simply get a letter of warning from the water company involved? This is what is happening. For instance, Thames Water has sent out 2900 letters warning...

Drilling companies are working around the clock to keep up with demand for boreholes as drought-affected people look for ways to capitalise on the resources beneath their own feet. The cost of a borehole depends how deep the drillers have to go, but as a rough guide they cost between £5000 and £25000,...