Residents across the Isle of Wight will be banned from using hosepipes from next Friday (10th July) as Southern Water introduces emergency restrictions following the warmest Spring on record and a prolonged spell of hot, dry weather.
The Temporary Use Ban, which comes into force at 00:01 on Friday, will prohibit customers from using hosepipes for activities including watering gardens, filling paddling pools and washing cars.
Southern Water says river levels in the River Test, which supplies most of the drinking water used in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, have fallen to critically low levels and are now around 25% below what would normally be expected for this time of year.
Tania Flasck, Director of Water Operations at Southern Water, has said:
“We’re working round the clock to keep taps flowing and protect the River Test, which is at a critically low level following recent hot weather.
“While the hosepipe ban comes into force on 10th July, we’re asking customers to start reducing their water use now, to help protect one of the region’s precious chalk streams and some of the rarest habitats on earth.”
The company says the decision follows England’s warmest spring on record and a record-breaking heatwave, with forecasts suggesting further hot and dry weather is on the way.
Since January, Southern Water says it has found and repaired 2,840 leaks across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, saving around 27 million litres of water each day. Teams are also using drones, smart technology and specially trained dogs to help locate leaks more quickly.
Customers are being urged to swap hosepipes for watering cans or buckets, with Southern Water warning that a hosepipe can use up to 1,000 litres of water in an hour – roughly the amount one person uses in a week.
The company says exemptions will apply for some customers, including those registered on the Priority Services Register or WaterSure scheme with qualifying mobility or health needs, such as Blue Badge holders.
