A water company has blamed more people working from home post-pandemic for a new hosepipe ban. South East Water, which supplies more than two million homes and businesses, will impose the first hosepipe ban of the summer on Monday, affecting households across Kent and Sussex.
The company’s chief executive David Hinton claimed that people working from home was a “key factor” behind the ban, as it has “increased drinking water demand”. In a letter to customers, he wrote: “Over the past three years the way in which drinking water is being used across the south east has changed considerably.
“The rise of working from home has increased drinking water demand in commuter towns by around 20% over a very short period, testing our existing infrastructure.” Mr Hinton also blamed low rainfall since April, which he said had left water butts empty, as well as a recent spell of hot weather which he said led to a spike in demand for drinking water.
