London set for hosepipe ban from Aug. 24 - water company

Thames Water, which serves customers in and around the British capital London, said on Wednesday it was banning customers from using a hosepipe from Aug. 24, citing prolonged dry weather.

Britain officially declared a drought in parts of England on Friday following England's driest July in nearly 90 years, a month in which temperatures crossed 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the first time. "With low rainfall forecast for the coming months, we now need to take the next step in our drought plan," the company said in a statement on its website.

"Everything we do now will help protect supplies next summer and help the environment." Thames Water is the latest of several firms in England to introduce such a ban, which includes preventing customers from using a hose to water their garden, wash their cars or fill up a paddling pool.

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