Southern Water has announced a hosepipe ban for approximately one million residents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, effective from 9am on Monday. This makes it the fourth English water company to impose such restrictions, bringing the total number of people affected across England to about 8.5 million.
The ban follows similar measures by Yorkshire Water, Thames Water, and South East Water. The affected areas in Southern Water's region are largely supplied by rare chalk streams, including the River Test and River Itchen, which the company reports are at critically low levels, 24% below normal flows for this time of year.
One in seven people in England are now prohibited from using hosepipes for activities such as filling paddling pools, watering gardens, or washing cars. Violators could face fines of up to £1,000. The restrictions come after some areas experienced the driest spring on record.
The government has declared drought status in four areas of England and urged more water companies to implement bans. The national drought group met on Tuesday to discuss the prolonged dry weather, which has led to mass fish die-offs, low river flows, and crop failures. If dry conditions persist, more stringent measures, such as banning the filling of public swimming pools, could be introduced.
Southern Water's managing director, Tim McMahon, stated: “We have to respond to the widespread and prolonged dry weather affecting our region. In our case, this means a hosepipe ban for our customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, to protect the health of our amazing chalk streams, which as one of the rarest habitats on Earth has been compared to the Amazon rainforest.”
