Drought conditions are still strangling supplies in Sussex as winter looms.

Southern Water has asked for emergency measures to drain water from the second river in two months to bolster the county's drinking supplies.

In July, the company angered environmentalists and conservationists by demanding permission to cut supplies to the River Medway, despite risking killing masses of wildlife.

The company yesterday announced it wanted permission to extract water from the River Western Rother at Pulborough. It said it needed to partially drain the river because the drought has left one of its reservoirs almost empty. It needs the extra water to supply homes during the winter.

The proposal has worried wildlife enthusiasts who say fish and birds could suffer.

Southern Water said using the river water would allow its Weir Wood reservoir, near East Grinstead, to recover from severely low rainfall.

The reservoir, which supplies 60,000 people in Crawley, is only a third full. To fill it up, the next few months would need to bring 25 per cent more rain than usual. The Environment Agency will decide whether Southern Water should be granted a permit.

The RSPB, whose Pulborough Brooks nature reserve may be affected, has expressed concern, saying removing water could allow salt water to seep upstream.

Southern Water is allowed to take water from the Western Rother until it flows at 63.6 million litres a day. The drought permit would reduce that to 53.6 million litres. Southern Water argues the exceptional shortage of rainfall since November has left underground sources well below average, resulting in low river flows.

Meyrick Gough, water planning and strategy manager, said: "The permit is a precautionary measure to ensure we can continue taking water from the River Rother even if we have another dry autumn and winter period. If granted, it will support supplies to customers in the north Sussex area and enable us to make the most of what rainfall we do receive."

Southern Water has previously been granted a drought order to extract extra water from the River Medway.

There are still hosepipe bans in place across Sussex and these may last into the autumn.

The application can be seen at the headquarters of Southern Water at Southern House, Yeoman Road, Worthing, from 10am-4pm, or at Pulborough Library, Brooks Way, from 2pm-5pm on Mondays and from 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until October 1.

Comments will be accepted until September 30. Write to: Rupert Clubb, Sussex Area Manager, Environment Agency, Saxon House, Little High Street, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1DH. The decision will be announced in October.

For information on water efficiency, visit www.southernwater.co.uk or call 0845 278 0845.