Essex: Hosepipe Ban To Be Lifted

Three of the UK's biggest water companies will today (Wednesday June 13th) announce they are lifting hosepipe bans which have been in place since April.

Thames Water, Anglian Water - which have thousands of customers in Essex - and Southern Water will formally announce the end of the restrictions today and they will be officially lifted tomorrow.

Seven water companies across southern and eastern England brought in hosepipe bans to combat drought, after two unusually dry winters left some groundwater supplies and rivers as low as in the drought year of 1976.

But the restrictions introduced early in April were followed by record rainfall across the UK for that month, and more rain in May and the beginning of June.

A spokesman for Anglian Water said that the decision had been made because of a combination of factors combining to ease pressure on the water system.

He said: "It's been because of supply and demand, it has recharged.

"It also is because we have had such a cold, wet May and June following a wet April, which means demand has been suppressed.''

But Veolia Water, which also serves part of the county, says its ban will remain in place for now.