SOUTHERN WATER SEEKS DROUGHT ORDER

The company has today (Monday 20 March) applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for a drought order to enable it to ban non-essential uses of water.

The application comes as the south east continues to be held in the grip of the driest period in the last 100 years, which has left some water resources across the region at the lowest levels ever seen.

Both Bewl Water and Weir Wood reservoirs reached their all time lowest levels last Autumn and are currently well below where they would normally be at this time of year. Underground sources are also significantly depleted and reaching historically low levels because of the two back-to-back dry winters.

Southern Water is currently carrying out work on more than 50 schemes to help tackle the drought by making more water available and moving it more efficiently around the region. The company is also continuing its campaign to tackle leakage, promote water efficiency and encourage more customers to have a free water meter fitted to help conserve supplies.

Southern Water has a hosepipe ban in place across the two counties but the company says that without taking action to relieve some of the pressure on water supplies and to preserve vital resources, serious supply problems could occur later in the year.

Southern Water will ask for power to ban the use of water from the company's mains network all activities listed in the Drought Direction 1991. Two hearings, one in Kent and one in Sussex are expected to be held in April, following which DEFRA will decide whether to make the drought orders.

Andy Watson, Southern Water's Director of Operations, said: "Bringing in further restrictions on the use of water for activities that are not essential will help to ensure we have enough water available for our customers to drink and for their everyday household needs, such as cooking, washing and cleaning.

"We introduced hosepipe bans last summer and drought permits that allow the company to take more water from the environment are in place. Unfortunately, the exceptionally low rainfall levels, which have continued since November 2004, mean that further emergency action to reduce the amount of water that is used is now needed to help conserve vital supplies.

"It is too early to say at the moment exactly what will be restricted. We will await further guidance from DEFRA following the hearings, meanwhile we continue to do all we can to tackle the situation, while thanking everyone for the efforts they are making to avoid wasting water."

If granted by DEFRA, the Drought Orders will be made under section 74 (24) (b) of the Water Resources Act 1991. The purposes that are included in the Drought Direction 1991 are listed below.

The purposes specified in the Drought Direction 1991 include:

? The watering, by hosepipe, sprinkler or other similar apparatus of:

? gardens (other than market gardens), including lawns, verges and other landscaped areas.

? allotments

? parks

? any natural or artificial surfaces used for sport or recreation

? The filling (whether wholly or partially) of privately owned swimming pools, other than:

? Pools designed to be used in the course of medical treatment

? The filling of pools where necessary in the course of their construction

? The filling (whether wholly or partially) of ornamental ponds other than fish ponds

? The operation of mechanical vehicle washers, whether automatic or not

? The washing of road vehicles, boats, railway rolling stock or aircraft for any reason other than safety or hygiene

? The cleaning of the exterior buildings, other than windows

? The cleaning of windows by hosepipe, sprinkler or other similar apparatus

? The cleaning of industrial premises or plant for any reason other than safety or hygiene

? The operation of ornamental fountains or cascades, including those where water is recycled

? The operation, in relation to any building or other premises, of any cistern which flushes automatically, during any period when those premises are wholly or substantially unoccupied.