The ban on the use of domestic hosepipes in Dover has been lifted.
The ban was introduced in April when water reserves sank to low levels and projections indicated that immediate action was needed to ensure security of supply. People were told they could start using hosepipes again on Monday.
Folkestone and Dover Water Services has monitored water levels and kept the need to maintain the hosepipe ban under active review. Following six months in which rainfall in the area has been near to the long term average, the company has seen water levels recover in all its sources, enabling the ban to be removed.
Managing director David Walton said that the company wanted to ensure that any inconvenience to customers was kept to the minimum.
"We thought it prudent to conserve our scarce local water resources bearing in mind the possibility of a third dry winter in a row," he said. "Our customers have responded to appeals for water saving and in recent months we have seen demand fall by four per cent. This has allowed us to save water just when it was needed and we would like to say a big thank you to our customers.
"The water position in our area is now better than it was at this time last year and we are now well placed to benefit from the autumn, winter and spring rains.
"If the water levels in our sources remain near the long term average we should be able to avoid any restrictions next year."
Customers with water meters on average reduced their non essential use of water by some 10 to 15 per cent, described as "a substantial saving overall".
The company is making a £27 million investment in infrastructure and new water sources in the five years 2005 to 2009 including two new water sources in Dover at Buckland Mill and Cow Lane, which are now nearing completion.
Meanwhile, the Environment Agency is warning that the wider drought is not yet over.
"Folkestone and Dover Water's decision to lift its hosepipe ban is based on the local circumstances in East Kent where a lot of rain has fallen in recent months," said Environment Agency Head of Water Resources Ian Barker.
"Also, local residents have listened to and heeded the water saving advice given out by us and the company. As a result the local groundwater levels are reasonably healthy."
The drought in the south east has been the result of nearly two years of below-average rainfall, and has led groundwater levels, on which three-quarters of public water supplies in the area depend, to fall to very low levels. Some groundwater monitoring boreholes are at their lowest recorded levels.
Rainfall in August and September across the south east has been close to average and this has been welcome, as it 'prepares the ground' for the recharge of the region's underground aquifers during the winter.
Reservoirs are also at reasonable levels and certainly better than they were this time last year. However, the water shortage is still very acute and the Environment Agency does not expect the other water companies to lift their restrictions until they are sure the winter rainfall will start to replenish the stocks ready for next summer. In some areas this could several months.
"We have to stress the drought in the south east is not over. If there is another dry winter, next year could still be difficult for the environment and for water," continued Mr Barker.
"So we continue to ask everyone to think very carefully about their water use and save water wherever they can."
