Hosepipe ban for Doncaster as Yorkshire Water introduces drought restrictions

The ban will start on August 26 and is the first across the county since 1995.

Yorkshire Water, which supplies five million customers, said reservoir levels had fallen below 50% for the first time since the drought of 1995 and it would take months of rain for them to recover.

Anyone breaking the temporary ban faces a fine of up to £1,000.

It comes as the Met Office issued an amber extreme heat warning for much of England amid a new heatwave.

Neil Dewis, head of water at the company, said: "We've been doing everything we can to avoid putting in restrictions but unfortunately they're now necessary as part of our drought planning."

He said the decision to introduce a ban was "based on the risk that water stocks continue to fall in the coming weeks".

Mr Dewis added: "We need to make sure that we have enough supply for the essential needs of people across the region this year and next, as well as making sure we're able to protect our local environment by limiting the amount of water we have to draw from the rivers."

The ban follows a number of others announced in parts of southern England and Wales.

Ahead of the ban coming in, Yorkshire Water is urging customers to be sensible with their water usage, with hopes that the rain returns in the coming months.

The company said similar restrictions elsewhere had seen a 10% reduction in water demand.

Yorkshire Water said taking action now meant it could apply for drought permits and drought orders which would allow it to manage water resources.

Mr Dewis continued: "It means we can abstract more water from our rivers and reduce flows out of our reservoirs so that we can continue to provide the water our customers rely on us for."

He said the company would keep everyone updated on when the ban would end.

Yorkshire Water provides supplies across West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, part of North Lincolnshire, most of North Yorkshire and parts of Derbyshire.

A hosepipe ban means the following activities are prohibited:

Watering a garden using a hosepipe

Cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe

Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe

Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe

Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool

Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use

Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe

Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain

Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe

Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe

Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe

Customers can still carry out these activities if they use water from a bucket or watering can; or use water that is not sourced from the mains such as grey water, rainwater from a water butt through a hosepipe, or private boreholes for example.