June saw a heat wave in the south east with prolonged periods of unprecedented hot weather, the hottest June on record in fact. The summer, it seems, was short lived and our miserable July has seen almost daily downpours which show no immediate signs of letting up.
We are all seeing and experiencing freak weather conditions worldwide and whilst parts of Europe, Canada and the USA are suffering from extreme heat and devastating fires, we are suffering the reverse, as parts of the UK are flooding.
There is, however, some better news to report and as a consequence of all the recent rainfall, South East Water announced on Friday that the hosepipe ban affecting a large area of East Sussex and Kent has been lifted with immediate effect. Isn’t it ironic that we get permission to water the garden just when the last thing we need is more water!
Bosses at South East Water made the decision less than two months after introducing the Temporary Use Ban (TUB) which prevented customers from using hosepipes for watering their gardens, washing cars, patios and boats and from filling swimming and paddling pools – with rule-breakers facing fines of up to £1,000.
South East Water explained that the period of dry weather led to the firm needing to supply up to an additional 138 million litres of water a day – equivalent to supplying four towns the size of Maidstone or Eastbourne. As a result it was “left with no choice but to introduce the temporary use ban to bring demand down to maintain supplies.”
Hopefully, now South East Water can maintain supplies to properties and businesses in the area without regular disruptions, especially in more rural areas and that works to replace decaying or damaged mains water supplies will soon be completed, so road closures, diversions (or lack of them) and disruptions will all dry up soon, too.
Image Credits: Nick Forman .
Mr Forman, could you please supply numbers as to how many people in the Rye district are under South East Water as opposed to Southern Water, which has not had a hosepipe ban all summer? Our neighborhood Facebook group has had to inform people asking “when the ban will be over because I’m struggling to water my garden with watering cans”, etc., that there was never a ban at all. And perhaps when you’re reporting on hosepipe bans, could you please point out that not everyone in Rye is under South East Water and should check their water bill and then their provider’s website to see if the ban applies to them. Even when Southern imposed bans in Hampshire last year, their post code checker confirmed that they didn’t apply in Rye.
Hello Jane, thanks for commenting on my article however I don’t know the numbers of South East Water customers in the Rye District but I do believe SEW supply to many of the outlying villages. Southern Water and South East Water obviously manage their water supplies differently otherwise both would have imposed a ban but if you fall under Southern Water then you are probably experiencing less disruption to regular supplies than those of us served by South East Water. Kind regards Nick Forman
Jane – We’re just outside of Rye in one of the villages. We had this ban. South East Water’s area is huge, although there are areas along the coast in our region which remain with Southern Water for supply purposes, which rather highlights the confusing nature of this ban from one company but not another. There is a map of their area here (just scroll down)
https://www.southeastwater.co.uk/about/who-we-are/
On 13th July, driving to my work in Smallhythe, to find the road from Iden to Tenterden closed. Driving to Peasmarsh, then a small lane through to Wittersham only to find the road closed. Driving via Ebony to Tenterden, then onto the Smallhythe turning – you guessed – road closed. An hour and a half later I arrive home, shattered. Good old South Eastern Water – no apologies, just a standard letter in reply to mine, full of excuses. A morning’s work lost and businesses in that area losing valuable trade. No access to Smallhythe from either direction!