Drought brings hosepipe ban for millions in England

Millions of people in southern and eastern England are facing a hosepipe ban next month because of drought.

Two unusually dry winters with little rainfall have left water reservoirs and river levels really low.
Drought can threaten wildlife - the number of freshwater fish dying because of the dry weather has already increased this year.
Seven water supply companies are restricting how much water people can use, to try and help the situation.

What does a hosepipe ban mean?

A ban means that people won't be allowed to use hosepipes for things like watering gardens, filling up pools, and cleaning cars, paths or outdoor walls.

You're still allowed to use watering cans or buckets - but if you use a hosepipe during the ban you could be fined up to £1,000.

East Anglia and south-east England are already officially suffering from a drought, but experts are warning that more areas could be affected if there isn't more rain this spring.