A water company has announced a hosepipe ban affecting millions of residents in Southeast England due to record demand for drinking supplies amid hot weather.
South East Water (SEW) Chief Executive Officer David Hinton said in a statement that restrictions for the company’s customers in Kent and Sussex would come into force on June 26 and remain until further notice.
"This situation has developed much more rapidly than last year. Restricting the use of hosepipes and sprinklers to make sure we have enough water for our customers’ essential use, will ensure we can serve our vulnerable customers and to protect the local environment," Hinton pointed out.
He added that the ban stipulates that customers will be prevented from "using hosepipes for watering their gardens, washing cars, patios and boats and from filling swimming and paddling pools."
Those using hosepipes after June 26 for above-mentioned purposes will reportedly risk fines of as much as £1,000 ($1,280).
"We are very aware that climate change and other factors are increasing the frequency of these events and we are submitting proposals to our regulator, Ofwat to solve these issues. I would like to thank everyone who has already taken steps to try and reduce their overall water use but despite this, demand still remains very high which is why we have taken this decision to bring in temporary use restrictions," SEW CEO said.
The remarks come as some parts of the UK, including Southeast England, experience a heatwave, with temperatures continuing to climb to 30C (86F), according to the Met Office.