We are very pleased to see the District Council website explaining the current situation.
In our district, our water is supplied by Essex and Suffolk Water and there is no hosepipe ban proposed here at the moment. But they say:
Our water resources are below average for the time of year following below average rainfall in 20 of the last 24 months (March 2012). Our resources are not currently at a level where it is necessary to introduce restrictions, but it is particularly important at the moment that we all take extra care to ensure no water is wasted. Customers can request free water saving products and get advice on how to save water in the garden and the home by clicking here.
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We will be continuing to monitor the water resources situation very carefully. If our resource situation worsens and we do need to introduce any restrictions, we will communicate with our customers about this with clear advice and guidance in advance.
This looks like being a long-term issue, and we expect that the District Council will be providing regular updates.