Rhiannon Ingle
Millions more people are about to face hosepipe restrictions as another water company joins the growing list introducing bans during the UK's ongoing heatwave.
Affinity Water has confirmed it will bring in a hosepipe ban across its central region from next week (17 July), affecting customers across Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London.
The restrictions come as temperatures continue to soar and pressure on the UK's water supply shows little sign of easing.
The country has already recorded its eighth day at or above 34°C this year, breaking the previous record of seven days set during the summers of 1976 and 2020.
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Customers covered by Affinity Water will no longer be able to use a hosepipe for jobs including watering gardens, washing cars, cleaning patios, paths and driveways, washing windows or filling swimming and paddling pools.
The company said demand for water is currently around 20 per cent higher than normal after weeks of hot, dry weather.
The latest restrictions mean millions more households are now affected, with several water companies introducing bans or urging customers to cut back on water use.
Anglian Water's hosepipe ban comes into force from 1 am on Saturday (11 July) for its more than five million customers across the East of England.
The company has also asked people to 'live within the spirit of these restrictions immediately' ahead of the official start date.
Cambridge Water has also announced a temporary hosepipe ban for its 350,000 customers, marking the first time it has introduced the measure in 30 years.
The company said its teams are working around the clock to maintain supplies, but local water resources 'are now under significant pressure' after low rainfall and record demand.
South East Water has already introduced restrictions across parts of Kent, while Southern Water's ban for around one million customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight comes into force today (10 July).
Elsewhere, Thames Water has stopped short of announcing a ban but is asking customers to reduce hosepipe use. Severn Trent, Essex and Suffolk Water, Wessex Water and Portsmouth Water are also encouraging people to use water carefully as the heatwave continues.
Officials are also warning that drought conditions are becoming increasingly likely in some parts of the country following the warmest spring on record and the UK's third heatwave in just three months.
Areas including East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are being closely monitored as water companies try to manage increasingly stretched supplies.
The government has announced plans for nine new reservoirs as part of wider reforms aimed at improving long-term water security. More than £104 billion in private investment has also been committed towards reducing leaks, building new infrastructure and strengthening supplies.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: "Customers deserve a reliable supply, which is why we’re investing in record infrastructure and nine new reservoirs, while our Water White Paper sets out long-term reforms for the sector to ensure assets are maintained and problems identified before they cause shortages.
"Hosepipe bans are a matter for water companies, but they can save water when supplies are stretched from peaks in demand."