Warning from South East Water who want to ensure there is enough water to go round in hot weather

That's the warning from South East Water who want to ensure there is enough water to go round.

Last Sunday saw the highest ever level of water use across its supply area, which includes Sussex.

The company is producing around an extra 100 million litres a day across its supply area, the equivalent of 1.25 million flushes of the toilet.

Water sprinklers are extremely thirsty and in one hour they will use a family of four’s daily supply.

Steve George, Customer Services Director, said: “When water use peaks like this, some of our customers may experience lower than normal pressures.

"Peak demand is usually in the evening from 5pm to 7pm and we are asking our customers to avoid non-essential water use, such as sprinklers, to help us make sure there is enough water for everyone.

“Our water supplies are good for this time of year - but in the same way that motorways can become jammed when rush-hour is busier than normal - using water sprinklers and hosepipes adds huge pressure to the normal peak-period demands of the dishwasher or washing machine, showering and bathing, and toilet flushing, and our water network simply cannot deliver the water quickly enough.

“There are some very simple things we can do during a hot period to limit the amount of extra water we use and make sure none is wasted.

“Of course, it’s essential to keep hydrated, so fill a covered jug and pop it in the fridge ready to make cool drinks. This means you don’t have to run the tap until it is cold enough for a single serving.

“In the garden a sprinkler can use up to 1,000 litres of drinking water in just one hour – that’s more than a family of six would use in a whole day so we are asking gardeners to replace them with a watering can.”