Southern Water seeks rare drought order for Hampshire and Isle of Wight

Southern Water has applied for a rare drought order to prevent water shortages for approximately 165,000 people in parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, including Southampton and Eastleigh. If approved by Environment Secretary Angela Eagle, the non-essential use ban (NEUB) would escalate beyond existing hosepipe restrictions to prohibit activities such as washing vehicles, cleaning windows, watering gardens, and filling non-domestic swimming pools.

The request is a precautionary measure driven by high demand and environmental pressures. Customer demand has risen to over 660 million litres per day, exceeding the company’s typical supply of 550 to 560 million litres. Additionally, flows in the River Test, a rare chalk stream essential for the region's supply, have dropped to roughly half their usual levels. Regulatory requirements mandate that the company maintains specific flow levels in the river to protect the ecosystem, limiting the amount of water that can be abstracted.

If the order is granted, it would mark the first such ban of its kind in the region in nearly two decades, with similar orders last issued in 2006 and 1996. The Environment Secretary has 28 days to reach a decision.