Water firms are now telling customers to report their neighbours if they spot them breaking the controversial hosepipe ban – as they warn offenders could be fined £1,000.
South East Water, who announced the ten-day ban on Friday due to a record demand for drinking water, are asking neighbours to turn on one other and speak up when they enforce their restrictions on customers from June 26.
Bosses warned they will investigate each report received and will have no problem prosecuting if justified. The ban in eight days covers using hosepipes or sprinklers to water gardens, wash cars, boats and patios or fill swimming and paddling pools.
South East Water, in an FAQ for the 1.3 million customers hit by the ban, said: ‘Please contact us via our website so we can take the appropriate action should your neighbour be ignoring the restrictions in place.
‘We have powers to prosecute in a situation where someone knowingly ignores the restrictions, and will use these powers where we think it is justified.
Water firms are now telling customers to report their neighbours if they spot them breaking the controversial hosepipe ban. Pictured: Staff from South East Water give out bottled water to customers in Kent
A hosepipe ban will be enforced across Kent and Sussex from June 26 after a record demand for drinking water. The ban covers hosepipes or sprinklers to water gardens, wash cars, boats and patios or fill swimming and paddling pools
‘We will certainly look into cases where people tell us about hosepipe and sprinkler use.
‘If a customer contravenes the prohibition, it is an offence, and if convicted, the customer could face a fine of up to £1,000.
‘However, prosecution is very much a last resort.’
South East Water is asking customers to use water for ‘essential use only’ and has set up bottled water stations across affected areas while it builds up reserves. Staff have been pictures handing out water to customers this week.
This week’s hosepipe ban, the earliest in 11 years, was blasted as ‘outrageous’ by MPs who argued the ban will impact those already struggling under the cost of living crisis.
Henry Smith, the Conservative MP for Crawley in West Sussex, said: ‘It is outrageous that in a country that has plentiful rainfall that after just a few weeks of dry weather – known as spring and summer – suddenly there are hosepipe bans being brought into effect.
‘Water companies need to ensure they are investing their profits in preventing leaks, collecting more water and living up to their environmental responsibilities.’
Despite thunderstorms sweeping across Britain today, including at Edgbaston during day three of The Ashes (pictured), water supplies won’t be sufficiently replenished to lift hosepipe bans that have caused fury across the nation
MPs and residents have slammed the move by South East Water to introduce a hosepipe ban. Pictured: Staff from South East Water give out bottled water in Kent
And Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said ‘Households are struggling enough with the cost of living, it is not right that they are made to pay in full for a service they are only receiving in part.’
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South East Water claimed the ban across Kent and Sussex is necessary because ‘exceptional high demand across the region has resulted in multiple water supply issues across our network’.
Another English water utility, South West Water, has had a hosepipe ban in place since April in Cornwall and Devon. No other companies have followed suit yet.
Residents have slammed the ‘pathetic’ move by South East Water which comes after areas of the region were left with little or no water this week amid the heatwave, forcing schools to shut and families to pick up drinking water from bottled water stations.
Meanwhile, one family was unable to put out afire due to being left with little or no water amid this week’s heatwave.
Donia Youssef, 45, a producer and writer, posted videos on Facebook today of the blaze at her parents’ farm and said they had had no water supply for a week.
She added: ‘My parents live on a farm, so all the animals are affected. And also with no water supply, people’s lives are in danger. As you can see from the fire, there was no water to put out from the home, because there was no water supply.
‘There were three animals in the room, who thankfully were rescued. But people’s lives are at risk in the blazing heat and there’s absolutely not a drop of water. No water for the toilets, there’s elderly people living in the home.’
A fire at a farm in East Sussex this week that could not be put out until firefighters arrived
Donia Youssef has posted videos of the blaze at her parents’ farm in East Sussex last night. She said there was no water to put the blaze out
Meanwhile, one resident of the Kent village of Mereworth tweeted: ‘Endless leaks and broken pipes, poor management of water resources, a couple of weeks of dry weather and customers are hit with a hosepipe ban. Pathetic.’
Another Twitter user said: ‘South East Water introduce a hosepipe ban – this country is pathetic, bit of snow and the country stops and a bit of sun and the country stops!’
After Britain’s hottest start to June since 1976, the UK was hit with thunderstorms and rain this afternoon – even causing major disruption to The Ashes on day three of the first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
But despite the heavy rainfall, water supplies won’t be sufficiently replenished to lift hosepipe bans that have caused fury across the nation.
Furious residents in Kent reacted today, with one tweeting: ‘More rain in Kent today ….In other news there is a hose pipe ban on in ……Kent.’
A second added: ‘Two weeks of rain expected in one hour today but hosepipe ban in south east goes ahead. Water companies are a big a joke as the railways.’
Three months ago, England had its wettest March since 1981 and the third wettest on record – but last month saw overall UK rainfall at just 55 per cent of average for May.
South East Water said despite providing an extra 120million litres of water a day, demand in June has broken records – including from the 2020 lockdown heatwave.
It comes after England last year faced its first drought since 2018 amid a very dry summer featuring 40C (104F) temperatures for the first time – leading to curbs on water usage including hosepipe bans, which aim to restrict non-essential water use.
