Thames Water has lifted its hosepipe ban following heavy rain.

The water company said: "Thanks to customer support and recent wet weather, including above average rainfall, restrictions on water use are no longer currently required."

The hosepipe ban came into effect on August 24 following one of the driest years on record.

Thames Water said demand for water reduced significantly during the ban.

"This coupled with recent heavy rain has meant that river and reservoir levels have started to improve," it said.

The first two weeks of November have already seen a month's worth of rain, said the company.

Both September and October saw long-term average rainfall above 130 per cent.

During the hosepipe ban domestic customers could not use hosepipes for watering gardens or allotments or cleaning cars or windows at risk of fines up to £1,000.

Sarah Bentley, Thames Water CEO thanked customers for their support.

She said: “Careful consideration has gone into our decision to remove the ban. Despite the recent rain, we still need to protect our future water supply.

"We need more rain throughout winter to ensure our rivers and reservoirs are fully recharged, ready for spring and summer next year. 

"Storage levels are improving at many reservoirs across the region. This includes Farmoor, which supplies approximately 480,000 customers across Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, where water levels have returned to near normal levels of 87 per cent."

 

 

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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

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