Residents served by Anglian Water are being urged to stop using hosepipes after the company announced a temporary ban following months of exceptionally hot and dry weather.
The Temporary Use Ban comes into force at 1am on Saturday (12 July), although Anglian Water is asking customers to start following the restrictions immediately to help protect water supplies and the environment.
The company says the decision follows the second driest spring on record in the East of England, combined with three heatwaves and record demand for water.
Customers affected by the ban will not be allowed to use hosepipes for activities including watering gardens, washing cars, cleaning patios and filling paddling pools or hot tubs. Watering cans can still be used to water plants, fruit and vegetables.
Anglian Water, which supplies parts of north Buckinghamshire as well as much of the East of England, says it is currently producing around 30 per cent more water than normal to meet demand.
The Environment Agency has reported that many rivers across the region are running at notably or exceptionally low levels after just 39 per cent of the expected rainfall fell during the spring. Reservoirs are also lower than normal for this time of year.
Dr Geoff Darch, Head of Strategic Asset Planning at Anglian Water, said the company had worked around the clock to keep supplies flowing but the prolonged hot weather had left it with little choice.
He said customers could help by "hanging up the hosepipe", letting lawns turn brown and using water more carefully until conditions improve.
Anglian Water says it has increased the number of teams fixing leaks and continues to invest in its network, including using drones and artificial intelligence to detect hidden leaks more quickly.
The company says there are limited exemptions to the restrictions for vulnerable customers and to protect certain livelihoods.
Customers can find full details of the Temporary Use Ban, including exemptions and the areas affected, on Anglian Water's website.
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