A UK water company has put a hosepipe ban in place as temperatures begin to spike, with households across the country advised to limit their use.
South East Water has asked its customers to pause all hose use. Its warning covers Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and Sussex (both East and West).
The total amount of water treated by the company on Sunday was 644 million litres, it said – which is 56 million litres higher than the entire June average (588 million litres).
It comes as the UK is forecast to experience heatwave conditions over the coming week which may break records for a second consecutive month.
South East Water is currently the only company to issue a hosepipe ban. However, Wessex Water has asked its customers to limit their use, writing on social media: “Grass is tougher than it looks. It naturally copes during hot, dry spells and will bounce back quickly when the rain returns.
“With the warmer weather returning, it's an easy way to save water and it can even help reduce weeds too”.
Other areas of the UK are currently experiencing ill-timed water shortages due to supply incidents. A third-party pollution incident has left households around Easingwold and Tollerton, near York, with low water pressure. Yorkshire Water has confirmed it has set up bottled water stations to for affected customers as it works to resolve the issue.
Meanwhile, a burst water main has left homes in Witney, west Oxfordshire, with low pressure or no water at all. Thames Water has confirmed it is working to resolve the issue.
Several health alerts have been put in place as temperatures rise, with the Met Office issuing a rare red weather warning covering areas including London, Swansea, Somerset and Birmingham from 9am on Wednesday to 9pm on Thursday.
An amber weather warning for heat also spans all of Wales and England as far north as Blackpool between Monday and Thursday.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Mark Sidaway, said: “Red warnings are reserved for the most severe events and we’re expecting severe and significant impacts from this heatwave, with health impacts likely for many, even beyond those who are normally more vulnerable to the heat.
“As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20C, which is called a tropical night. This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.”
Temperatures could reach as high as 40C in some parts of England and Wales, forecasters have said, smashing the June high-temperature record set in 1976 of 34C.
Ahead of the expected heatwave, all households have been urged to limit their water usage. National Drought Group chair and director of water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said: “We enter summer in a generally favourable position, but we can never be complacent ahead of those crucial drier months.
“Heatwaves will continue to be a concern as they can drive spikes in water demand, so we need to continue to work collaboratively to use our finite water wisely.
“While many of us enjoy the hot weather, we ask everyone to be mindful of their water use. Every drop saved leaves more available for farmers, our local rivers and wildlife.”
