8:20am Tuesday 12th June 2012
By Matt Watts
The hosepipe ban in Sutton is to remain, despite expectations restrictions will be lifted sooner in other parts of London.
Thames Water, which provides water to the majority of the capital, said as a result of recent heavy rain fall it could lift its hosepipe ban sooner than expected.
Anglian Water has also indicated it could lift its ban early.
But Sutton and East Surrey Water (SESW) has said it is not expecting to lift the ban.
It said SESW drew 85 per cent of its supplies from boreholes sunk deep underground.
Ground-water levels remain at record lows and are showing no sign that the recent heavy rainfall is percolating deep down to replenish the aquifer.
The water company said Thames Water and Anglian Water benefited from relying much more on surface water supplies, which have mostly returned to normal.
Mike Hegarty, SESW operations director, said: "After two years of record below-average rainfall, particularly over the crucial winter months, it will take more than one month of heavy rainfall to remove the underlying problems caused by two years of drought."
There is still no date for when the hosepipe ban in Sutton could be lifted.
Calls for bans to be lifted came after prolonged periods of rainfall across the south east.
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