More drought orders issued

The government has issued three more drought orders as fears continue to grow that south east England could face its worst drought for a hundred years.

Mid Kent has been issued with one order, while Southern Water has received two - one which applies to the company's Medway, Thanet and Hastings supply areas and the second which applies to its Sussex Coast and Sussex North supply areas.

The orders will not apply to the company's Hampshire and Isle of Wight supply areas.

The orders will allow the water companies to limit or ban non-essential uses of water, such as the use of hosepipes and sprinklers, the filling of privately owned swimming pools and the washing of cars and other vehicles.

Sutton and East Surrey Water have already been granted a six-month drought order, which will come into effect from May 27.

Environment Minister Ian Pearson said: "Recent rainfall has not reduced the need for restrictions in the south east. Reservoirs are nearly full but the region relies on groundwater for 70% of its supply, and in the case of Mid Kent Water it's 85%.

"The winter recharge season is over, yet groundwater levels remain critically low and the Environment Agency has advised that the rain we are seeing now will have little impact on these levels."

No other water companies have yet applied for drought orders. Last week, Thames Water, one of the country's biggest water suppliers, rejected calls to apply for an order.

The firm has already imposed a hosepipe ban, but said that although the situation remains serious, they believed that no further restrictions were needed yet.

The company said that it would continue to review the situation weekly, but said that local river flows were being maintained , reservoir storage is increasing and demand is falling.

The Environment Agency has warned that the south east of England was facing potentially the worst drought in a hundred years.

(KMcA)