Hosepipe use, rain and weather warning - south Essex latest

But Anglian Water urged people to not be “reckless” with their usage as a drought was declared across the east of England following the driest summer for 50 years.

Basildon, Southend and Castle Point are not due to receive any rainfall until Monday amid the Met Office issuing an amber weather warning of extreme heat over the weekend.

However, the weather chiefs have stated temperatures are not expected to be as extreme as those experience in July when new national records were set.

“Today's declaration of drought across the region we supply serves to underline the seriousness of the situation,” said Anglian Water spokesman Ciaran Nelson.

Drought - a dried up Hanningfield Reservoir in Essex as a drought is declared in east of England (PA)

“But because of the investments we’ve made and the support of our customers, we still do not envisage needing a hosepipe ban in our region this summer.”

It comes as Abberton Reservoir, found south of Colchester, was revealed to be among just four others recording normal water levels today.

The majority of the nation’s reservoirs were classed as “exceptionally low” for the time of year before the weekend, with only four recording water levels deemed normal.

Haweswater and Thirlmere, Cumbria, Lower Lee Group, Hertfordshire, and the Teesdale group, north-east England, make up the remaining three said to be at a normal water level.

More than two-thirds of reservoirs or groups of reservoirs in England saw their stock of water drop by over 10 per cent between the end of June and the end of July.

Hanningfield Reservoir in Essex saw the largest decrease last month, alongside Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex, with drops of 21 per cent.

Beauty spot - Abberton Reservoir, captured by Gazette Camera Club member David Waterman

“The resilience we’ve created, combined with the best leakage record in the industry and 90 per cent of our customers having meters, means we’re able to manage drawn out periods of intense hot weather,” added Mr Nelson.

“We can’t ‘make more water’, so we must do all we can to look after what we have.

“Just because we don’t have a hosepipe ban, though, doesn’t mean people can be reckless with water.

“The less we and our customers use, the more can be left in the environment.

“We prepare detailed drought plans for scenarios just like this. If we reach the point of needing a hosepipe ban we won’t hesitate to introduce one, but we’re not at that point right now.”