Hosepipe Ban Remains Despite Wet January Across Sussex And Kent

Parts of Sussex and Kent remain under a hosepipe ban, despite one of the wettest Januarys on record.

South East Water introduced temporary hosepipe restrictions in July last year following the driest spring since the 19th century.

While recent heavy rainfall has seen Ardingly Reservoir in West Sussex return to full capacity, the water company says it is not yet ready to lift the ban.

South East Water’s head of water resources, Nick Price, said restrictions will only be removed once the company is confident that water resources have fully recovered.

He explained that groundwater, which supplies around 80 per cent of water in the South East, takes longer to replenish than surface reservoirs.

Although the Environment Agency has moved parts of Sussex out of drought and into recovery status, some groundwater levels remain below normal.

South East Water says it will provide an update on the hosepipe ban later this week.