Why hosepipe ban is not imposed on every East of England home

All but one of the East of England’s four main water companies announced they would be imposing a hosepipe ban on households last week.

The temporary measure means customers risk receiving a fine of up to £1,000 if they use their hosepipe to perform tasks such as filling up a swimming pool or watering their gardens.

Anglian Water, Affinity Water and Cambridge Water, which all supply much of the UK’s driest region, cited warm weather, little rain, and increased demand as the reasons for the ban.

So why then has the sole outlier, Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW), been able to avoid implementing the extreme measure on its customers?

While the companies may border one another geographically, key differences across supply areas mean they each have their own criteria to adhere to.

Everything from reservoir levels, demand, weather forecasts, water networks and raw water quality can influence the decision to impose a ban or not.

Leakages also play a huge part, as do investment and development.