Final four companies lift hosepipe ban

After days of torrential rainfall battered the country, the final four water companies enforcing a hosepipe ban in England have lifted the restrictions on water use.

In a move that will bring relief to nearly six million customers, the four companies – South East Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Veolia Water Central and Veolia Water Southeast – released a joint statement outlining that low demand for water due to the pre-existing hosepipe ban, combined with the extremely heavy rainfall over the last few months, had allowed the underground aquifers to recover water levels enough for the bans to be lifted.

Speaking on the Sutton and South East Water website, Operations Director Mike Hegarty said: “We are delighted to be able to lift the restrictions and return to a normal service for customers. We would like to thank them for their support while they have been in place.”

Despite the record-breaking deluge and the ban being lifted, the four water companies are still urging customers to use water wisely. Veolia Water Central’s website said that whilst groundwater levels have risen to a point that is sufficient to cover customers’ essential needs, they are still lower than normal.

South East Water stated that the coming October-to-March period was critical for recharging underground water levels, and as such the companies are planning for the possibility of a third dry winter. According to the companies, a third dry autumn and winter would make another hosepipe ban a real possibility.

Anthony Byrne