Update on South East Water’s Temporary Use (hosepipe) Ban
As you will be aware, our Temporary Use (hosepipe) Ban came into force on Friday 12 August for all our customers in Sussex and Kent until further notice.
It follows the driest July in Kent since records began and the lowest rainfall in Sussex since 1911.
This means customers are now banned from using hosepipes or sprinklers for a range of activities including watering gardens, washing cars, cleaning patios or outdoor areas and filling paddling and swimming pools.
We are aware the ban will make life difficult for some of our customers with additional needs, therefore we have proactively written to those listed on our Priority Services Register who, due to their circumstances, are exempt from the ban to let them know.
This decision hasn’t been made lightly, but the combination of prolonged hot, dry weather and record-breaking demand has left us with no choice but to implement this restriction to make sure there is enough water for all in the coming months.
We’re extremely grateful to everyone who has done what they can to save water so far. In July, we received more than 8,500 orders for free water-saving devices – compared to an average high of around 2,500.
We know fixing leaks is a huge priority for you and your communities, as it is us. Between 11 July and 25 July alone we saw a 50 per cent increase in burst water mains across our supply area.
This increase is a result of ground movement caused by the lack of rainfall and drying of the soil. We are reacting and repairing these as quickly as we can. To help over the past few weeks we have increased our leak detecting and repair teams by 25 per cent.
In our plans, we have committed to reducing the amount of water lost to leaks on our network and in customers’ homes by 15 per cent between 2020 and 2025 (based on our annual performance).
We have continued to reduce the amount of leaks on our network year-on-year and have beaten our leakage target, set by the regulator, for the last 13 years.
Restrictions are always a last resort, and we have taken this step to protect precious resources and reduce pressure on our environment.
We have shared a wealth of information about the Temporary Use Ban, including the full list of prohibitions and exemptions on our website (see below).
There is also a variety of tips to share regarding water efficiency, and links to free water saving devices. I would be grateful if you could share this information – as well as the links below – within your local communities and networks.
I appreciate your continued support and understanding, and trust you know we have not taken this decision lightly. Restrictions are always a last resort, and we have taken this step to protect precious resources and reduce pressure on our environment.
If you have any questions, or would like to talk to us in more detail about our temporary use ban, please email community@southeastwater.co.uk
David Hinton
Chief Executive Officer