A HOSEPIPE ban, which has been in place for three months, has now been lifted across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

People will no longer have to restrict water use outside their homes, as Southern Water lifts its hosepipe ban this morning. 

The ban has been in place since August 5, when a drought was declared. It was the first of its kind in the region since 2012 and was put in place because of the low levels of the Rivers Test and Itchen.

Community support for these measures over the past three months helped save around 11 million litres of water. 

This reduction in demand, combined with recent cooler and wetter weather, has seen river levels improve enough so that restrictions can be removed.   

But the region is still suffering from the effects of this year’s drought, with river and reservoir levels remaining lower than expected for this time of year across the region. 

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Katy Taylor, Southern Water’s chief customer officer, said: “Thank you to everyone in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight who has supported this hosepipe ban over the past three months. We know it has been inconvenient, but your help has allowed us to protect our environment during almost unprecedented drought conditions. 

“While we are now in a position to lift the ban – news which I am sure will be widely welcomed – we continue to experience the effects of drought across our region, with river and reservoir levels not back to where they really should be at this time of year. 

“This is why we continue to encourage everyone to play their part in using water wisely through the coming months. In the face of climate change and population growth, a dry winter could put us at risk of drought and restrictions again next year, so we must do what we can to protect and preserve this precious resource.”