Essex and Suffolk Water has introduced a temporary hosepipe ban following months of prolonged dry weather in the UK.
The water company announced the ban on its website, confirming it’s the first time since 1997 it’s had to implement restrictions.
The ban will cover parts of London and Essex, including Chelmsford, Brentwood, Romford, Barking, Basildon, and Southend, as well as parts of Suffolk, including Great Yarmouth, Walpole, Southwold, and more.
Although the ban won’t be officially enforced until midnight on Monday, Essex and Suffolk Water has asked households to start reducing their water usage.
It reminds households that the restrictions apply to all domestic use of hosepipes, including the watering of gardens, the cleaning of walls, windows and paths, and the filling of fountains and pools.
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The water supplier is now joining the likes of Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Affinity Water, and Thames Water, who have all confirmed hosepipe restrictions.
Full list of areas affected by a hosepipe ban
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Essex
- Hertfordshire
- Surrey
- London
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Cambridgeshire
- Lincolnshire
- Northamptonshire
- Rutland
- Bedfordshire
- Parts of Essex
- Kent
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Cambridge
A Facebook post by Essex and Suffolk Water confirming the restrictions read: ‘This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly, but by reducing non-essential water use, together we can help protect our rivers and wildlife while safeguarding water supplies through the hot, dry weeks ahead.’
The news comes after several regions of the UK have declared a drought due to ongoing warm conditions and relentless heatwaves, under which almost 3,000 people died.
Meanwhile, wildfires continue to ravage parts of the nation.
A major incident was declared this week as a fire blazed across Dunwich Heath on the Suffolk coast, spreading to the size of 150 hectares – approximately 210 football pitches – in just 24 hours.
Homes have been evacuated, and newly released aerial images today have shown the devastation the fire has caused, and just how close it came to a nearby holiday park.
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