South East Water is facing growing criticism for keeping a hosepipe ban in place, despite Ardingly Reservoir being full.
The company is currently the only water provider in the country still enforcing a hosepipe ban, prompting frustration among residents and local representatives across Sussex.
The Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Sussex, Alison Bennett, is among those challenging the decision. She has launched a public petition calling for the restriction to be lifted, arguing that it no longer reflects the local water situation and is placing unnecessary limits on households.
Supporters of the petition say the continued ban is difficult to justify given visible reservoir levels and recent rainfall, and they are urging South East Water to reconsider its approach. The campaign has attracted increasing attention from residents who say they are struggling to understand why restrictions remain in place when other water companies have already lifted theirs.
In response, South East Water says reservoir levels alone do not tell the full story. The company says around 80 per cent of its water supply comes from groundwater rather than reservoirs, and that groundwater levels take longer to recover, particularly during the winter months.
South East Water says restrictions can only be lifted once it is confident water resources are sustainably recovering, but has added that it hopes to end the hosepipe ban as soon as conditions allow.
The petition, titled “End the Hosepipe Ban – Mid Sussex Liberal Democrats”, is open to residents who want to add their voice to calls for a review of the decision, as pressure continues to mount on the water company to explain how long the restrictions are likely to remain in place.
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