Customers of South East Water in Kent and Sussex are now subject to a ban on the use of hosepipes and sprinklers, which carries fines of up to one thousand pounds for each violation.
It is against the law to use hoses to irrigate gardens, clean vehicles, patios, boats, and other water features, and to fill swimming pools. After receiving a demand for potable water in June that broke all previous records, South East Water declared that it had no other choice.
According to the firm, the restriction has been put into effect in order to "protect the water supply" for all of its customers in the states of Kent and Sussex.
On June 16, the corporation made an announcement regarding a so-called Temporary Usage Ban, but it was not possible to put this ban into effect for another ten days. In practice, this means that starting on Monday, rule breaches will be subject to a fine of 1,000 British pounds "until further notice."
South East Water has indicated that the prohibition applies to all of its customers in Kent and Sussex, even businesses that may be invoiced by a separate company. This statement was made in reference to the fact that the two counties are served by South East Water. On the website of South East Water, one can find information regarding a variety of exceptions to the regulations.
The water supply to around 4,000 customers in Kent, Sussex, and portions of Hampshire and Berkshire was disrupted for many days, causing the water pressure to drop, and the corporation has recently come under fire as a result. Across these three counties, the organization provides services to 2.2 million different customers.
According to the website of South West Water, a prohibition is also in place across the entirety of Cornwall, including the communities of Colliford and Roadford, as well as in certain parts of Devon.
The CEO of South East Water, David Hinton, blamed those who work from home for the lack of available water in the region in a letter he sent to consumers the previous week. According to him, the demand in commuter towns had increased in a relatively short period of time, which had placed strain on the infrastructure that was already in place. Moreover, this increase had occurred in a relatively recent time frame.
According to Mr. Hinton, other factors, such as a lack of rainfall and extended periods of recent hot weather, had also contributed to the strain on water supplies. Customers have stated that a lack of investment on the part of the firm is the primary source of the issue, and a petition has been created in an effort to alter the ownership of South East Water.
Mr. Hinton addressed the following to the customers in a letter that he sent out stating that they are confident that, with the help of their customers, they will be able to increase the water supply's dependability in the short to medium term.
