Southern Water said the temporary ban was necessary as drought threatens to damage the habitats of the River Test and River Itchen. Extreme heat and reduced rainfall, along with demand, have led to falling water levels, Southern Water said on Friday. In the last eight months, Hampshire has seen very little rain and is experiencing one of the driest years on record for more than a century. Southern Water said river flows are now about 25 per cent lower than they should be at this time of year. The hose ban means customers will not be able to water their garden using a hose, clean their cars, fill ponds, pools or swimming pools, among other restrictions. “River flows are around 25% lower than they should be for July, which equates to a loss of more than 25 million tubs of water,” said Dr Alison Hoyle, director of risk and compliance at Southern Water. The ban will take effect on August 5. The move comes as this July was England’s driest since 1911, with only 24 per cent of expected rainfall recorded so far this month, the Met Office said earlier this week. The National Drought Task Force held an emergency meeting Tuesday amid concerns it may need to declare a drought.
