New hosepipe ban comes into force for 3.9million households in England – are YOU exempt?

MILLIONS of Brits will be banned from using hosepipes from today after weeks of dry weather. The strict new rule will affect households in several counties. Anyone who uses a hosepipe during the ban faces a fine of £1,000 Credit: Alamy Stock Photo Affinity Water will enforce its ban on customers from today Credit: AFFINITY Under the ban, customers will be unable to fill up swimming and paddling pools, water their garden, or clean their car. Anyone who uses a hosepipe during the ban faces a fine of £1,000. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! In addition to other bans in place, Affinity Water and Cambridge Water introduced restrictions on customers today. In a statement on the Affinity Water website, a spokesperson for the company said: “We’ve announced a hosepipe ban across our Central region, covering Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London.” They added: “We’re monitoring the situation daily and will lift restrictions as soon as conditions allow us to.” The company told customers that “demand for water is much higher than we’d normally expect, and supplies are under real pressure”. The ban came into force at 12.01am today, July 17. Cambridge Water put restrictions in place on July 9 with its ban also beginning today at 1am. Most read in The Sun Has my water supplier enforced a hosepipe ban? South East Water (Kent) – Restrictions in place since Friday, July 3 Southern Water (Hampshire and Isle of Wight) – Restrictions in place since Friday, July 10 Anglian Water (East of England) – Restrictions came into force at 1am on Saturday, July 11 Cambridge Water (Cambridge) – Restrictions in place from Friday, July 17 Affinity Water (Surrey, Outer London, Hertfordshire) – Restrictions came into force at 12.01am on Friday, July 17 Anyone found using a hosepipe during a ban will face the fine, however, certain exemptions exist for different reasons. Blue Badge holders, and those on the Priority Services Register, are exempt from the rules, as well as those who require the use of a hose for medical purposs. A hose can also be used to water newly-laid turf four weeks after it was installed, to clean pets, and to fill up fish ponds. Comment now