Water companies impose hosepipe bans under their own powers and in accordance with the trigger mechanisms in their drought plans which determine the appropriate time to take action to reduce demand. Drought plans exist to ensure that water companies can fulfil their statutory duties to supply adequate quantities of wholesome water during drought periods with as little recourse as possible to drought orders.
The Environment Agency has reported in “Drought prospects 2006—August update” that restrictions on demand and appeals to save water this year resulted in demand between 5 and 15 per cent. lower than at the same time in 2005. It is reasonable to assume that this level of demand saving arose largely from the hosepipe bans imposed in much of south-east England.