Taken from the Thames Water Intranet
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The ban will attract widespread media interest, and is bound to become a talking point with your friends and family. Below you''ll find some facts to help you explain the situation to them, or answer their questions. Please let us know what their views are, (by email to UK Internal Comms) and also if you have any additional questions that you don't feel you can answer.
The situation is serious. We've seen two dry winters in a row across the whole of the South-East. It is only during the winter months that rain gets a chance to seep down into the ground and fill underground water sources that feed boreholes and rivers.
A ban now will help protect the environment and may avoid the need for more serious measures later in the year. If we don't get much rain, we may have to restrict non-essential use in other ways too (such as banning the watering of golf courses and parks and the use of car washes).
We are working hard to tackle the situation, for example by fixing leaks. We are spending approximately