Sutton and East Surrey Water

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Sutton & East Surrey Water supplies parts of Surrey, Sussex, Kent and the London boroughs of Merton, Sutton and Croydon.

Population supplied: 642,000

Daily supply: 163m litres

Mains pipe: 3,390 km

Leakage: 24m litres/day (89 litres/property/day)

Supply source: 14% surface, 86% ground

RESTRICTION LEVEL

Drought order banning non-essential use of water was granted on 15 May 2006 and came into force on 27 May.

The order - the first of its kind in England and Wales since 1995 - was not extended when it expired in November 2006.

A hosepipe ban came into effect on 1 March 2006 and a sprinkler ban in April 2005, but restrictions were lifted on 18 January 2007 following four months of above-average rainfall.

What different restriction levels mean

First drought order for 11 years

Water firm's drought order to end

Companies lift hosepipe restrictions

MORE INFORMATION

Sutton and East Surrey water gets the vast majority of its supply from underground reserves which rely on winter rainfall to recharge.

Two exceptionally dry winters in a row left these aquifers depleted and the company said it had recorded the lowest levels ever at some of its boreholes.

From November 2004 until August 2006, only three months out of 18 had above average rainfall. Sutton and East Surrey Water's supply area had 30% less rainfall than usual throughout this period.

The company has one reservoir at Bough Beech from which it draws 15% of its supply.

CONTACT DETAILS

Sutton and East Surrey Water plc
London Road
Redhill
RH1 1LJ

Telephone: [phone]