A hosepipe ban has been expanded to cover 2.4 million people across the south of England after record-breaking temperatures.
South East Water’s ban now includes parts of Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire – an extra 1.5m customers. A ban in parts of Kent has been in force since 3 July.
Douglas Whitfield, SEW’s water supply director, said it was “deeply sorry” and “incredibly grateful to everyone helping us protect water supplies” after exceptionally hot and dry weather.
Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde said he was “appalled”, calling it “the direct result of years of underinvestment in upgrading infrastructure and building resilience”.
Under the restrictions, households in the affected area will be banned from using a hosepipe in their homes for tasks including cleaning, filling ponds, or watering plants.
The ban will officially come in from 00:01 BST on Saturday, but SEW has asked its customers to abide by the restrictions immediately.
The UK record for the hottest day in June was broken for a third day in a row last month, with temperatures reaching 37.3C, the Met Office said.