Daisy Stephens
BBC News, Berkshire
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People in parts of southern England will be unable to use hosepipes from 22 July
A hosepipe ban affecting 1.1 million people across several postcode areas has been announced by Thames Water.
The water firm said the measure would come into place across Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire on 22 July due to a lack of rain and increasing demand, which had stretched supplies.
It bans the use of a hosepipe for activities such as watering the garden, washing the car or filling a paddling pool. People found to be using a hosepipe during a ban can be fined up to £1,000.
It comes as the Environment Agency said it had declared a state of prolonged dry weather in large parts of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Surrey.
Thames Water said the temporary restriction would cover areas with postcodes beginning with OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9.
The ban does not affect businesses where hosepipe use is part of their purpose - for example, garden centres and car washes - but the company said everyone in the region should be "mindful" of water use.
Thames Water
Water stocks across the Thames Valley are low and are expected to continue falling, Thames Water said
Thames Water said prolonged hot weather meant there was less water available as well as a higher demand, with customers using up to 30% more water when temperatures were above 25C.
Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at Thames Water, said he did not "anticipate the situation will improve any time soon".
"We have to take action now," he said.
"This has been a challenging spring and summer with big spikes in customer demand during hot dry days and very little rainfall to replenish local supplies in the Thames Valley."
He encouraged customers both within and outside the ban area to reduce water use, by doing things like turning taps off while brushing teeth, taking shorter showers and not watering their lawns.
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