A HOSEPIPE ban covering Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has been announced as water companies look to manage reserves amid the continued heat.

The restrictions will apply to all Southern Water supply areas and will come into place from Friday, August 5 at 5pm. There is currently no indication of when it will end.

Read more: All you need to know before hosepipe bans comes into force

During the ban, the use of a hosepipe, including using sprinklers, dripper hoses, automatic irrigation systems and similar devices, is prohibited for the following:

  • Watering a garden using a hosepipe
  • Cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe
  • Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe
  • Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe
  • Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
  • Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use
  • Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe
  • Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain
  • Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe
  • Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
  • Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe

Residents will still be able to carry out any of the listed activities if they use mains water from a bucket or watering can. Any water not sourced from the mains - such as rainwater from a water butt - is also fine to use. Anyone who breaks the prohibitions could be hit with a fine of up to £1,000.

Nowhere in England is currently considered to be 'in drought', most of the country has instead moved into ‘prolonged dry weather’ status.

The Environment Agency has said it is now taking "precautionary actions to mitigate impacts as hydrological conditions deteriorate and enhancing its monitoring and protection of water resources, along with the water companies".

Several exceptions apply for people using their hoses to water plants for commercial sale or use, or for health and safety reasons.

To see more about the ban, visit: southernwater.co.uk/our-story/water-resources-planning/

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