Southern Water applies for drought permit

Southern Water has applied for a drought permit and warned customers of the likelihood of its need to impose temporary use bans (hosepipe bans).

The company it was seeking to continue abstracting water from the River Test to avert the risk of drought.

It said it had warned in June of falling flows in the river – a vital source of fresh water for south Hampshire – and said flows were currently at the point where a drought permit could be needed to enable Southern to continue abstraction from it.