A temporary hosepipe ban has come into effect in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight as the region suffers its driest year in a century.
Southern Water announced on Friday a Temporary Use Ban (TUB) - also known as a hosepipe ban - for its customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The prolonged hot weather and reduced rainfall alongside increased demand has left the water levels significantly lower, the firm said.
River flows are approximately 25% lower than they should be for July, which is equivalent to losing more than 25 million bathtubs of water.
Around 1.5 million people are expected to be affected by the measures. The last TUB enforced in the region was 2012.
Southern Water said there was no direct risk to customer water supply.
Dr Alison Hoyle, director of risk & compliance at the firm said: “We haven’t taken this decision lightly and we know the Temporary Use Ban will have an impact on our customers.
"We’re working with the Environment Agency to ensure that we act responsibly to protect our environment. We’re asking everyone in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to do their bit by supporting these measures and only use the water that they need.
“We’re experiencing one of the driest years on record for over a century and we’ve seen record temperatures.
"We're asking our customers to help protect our rivers and the habitats that live there by cutting back their water use.
"We believe a Temporary Use Ban is a responsible and vital step to reducing the amount of water being taken from the Rivers Test and Itchen.”
Under the terms of this measure, using hosepipes to water gardens or clean cars will no longer be permitted and ornamental ponds and swimming pools must not be filled.
It comes after the Environment Agency recently convened the National Drought Group as dry weather continues to impact the country.
The public and businesses, including those in the farming industry, were told to use water wisely to protect supplies during the period of prolonged dry weather.
Made up of groups including the NFU and AHDB, the National Drought Group discussed the situation and agreed actions to protect water resources.
