Hosepipe ban extended to vulnerable across Sussex

South East Water is to expand water use restrictions for its customers across Sussex.

The firm is removing an exemption for vulnerable people on the company's register to its hosepipe ban from 9 October to "protect water supplies and the environment". An exemption remains for health and safety reasons and animal welfare.

Head of water resources Nick Price told BBC Radio Sussex the "fairly unusual" expansion of the ban that came into place in July was due to lower rainfall than expected.

The company has separately applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for a ban on all non-essential commercial water usage.

Price said the move was "regrettable" but was "part of our drought plan and it is to ensure there is sufficient water moving forward for everyone to use".

The restrictions, if approved, would include mechanical car washes and businesses using hosepipes, he told the BBC.

Sean Hale, a window cleaner in Haywards Heath, said the proposed restrictions were "going to be a real hardship" and his business relied entirely on hosepipes to fill water tanks in its vans.

"I've got about two tonnes worth of pure water ready to use at any one time so I've got a little bit to fall back on, but once that's gone it's gone," he told the BBC.

Price said: "We understand and recognise the impact it will have on some businesses.

"It is why we haven't brought this particular ban in earlier."

East Grinstead and Uckfield MP Mims Davies said businesses and vulnerable customers were "going to be worried".

"It's a fine balance here between understanding that they can't give you what they haven't got but how are we going to make sure that the infrastructure works?" she told the BBC.

The Environment Agency has granted a drought permit application allowing less water to be returned to local rivers from Ardingly Reservoir.

The reservoir, which is near Haywards Heath in West Sussex, serves 280,000 customers and its levels are described by the water company as "exceptionally low for this time of year".

Richard O'Callaghan, environment planning manager at the agency, said granting the permit was "not a decision done lightly".

"We are also staying alert for any impacts on the environment and we will make sure South East Water obeys the tough but fair conditions of its temporary permit," he said.

The agency also warned the permit alone would "not be enough to improve security of water supply and the company needs to pursue further steps", such as the hosepipe ban extensions the firm has proposed.

Price told the BBC the firm was "putting other measures in place to reduce demand on that reservoir".

He insisted the company was doing more to stop leaks and bringing in water from other sources to "protect the reservoir", which the company said was only 23% full.

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