A HOSEPIPE and sprinkler ban is being imposed on people across Kent and Sussex, South East Water has confirmed reports the BBC.

The firm said it “had no choice” but to restrict water usage following the driest July on record.

The ban, which affects at least one million people, comes into force on 12 August until further notice.

It follows pleas from the firm for people to only use water for essential purposes during hot weather warnings last month.

A spokesman for South East Water said the record-breaking hot weather in July exacerbated what had been the driest eight months since 1976.

July has only had 8% of the average rainfall for the month, and the long-term forecast for August and September is for similar weather.

Is the UK heading for a drought?

The spokesman added: “We have been producing an additional 120 million litres of water a day to supply our customers, which is the equivalent of supplying a further four towns the size of Maidstone or Eastbourne, daily.

“We have been left with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers.”

Last month South East Water’s director of operations, Douglas Whitfield, said he was concerned about water levels and pleaded for customers to “really think carefully about their water use… and use water for essential use only”.

However at the time, he expected water concerns to be a “short-term” issue.

The ban follows weeks of disruption to water supplies across the counties, due to a number of burst pipes.