THE Environment Secretary has urged more water companies to impose hosepipe bans as the nation braces for another heatwave.

George Eustice said some firms have “rightly” taken action to mitigate the effects of the prolonged dry weather as he encouraged others to follow suit.

His remarks, the first public intervention by ministers, signal possible restrictions on watering gardens, washing cars or filling pools with hosepipes for millions more people across southern England in the coming days.

It comes as forecasters predict the warm weather will continue for most of the UK into next week when conditions will stay dry and settled with little rain or wind.

Southern Water has already imposed a hosepipe ban for customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, while the measure will follow exactly a week later for South East Water customers in Kent and Sussex.

Welsh Water has also announced a ban for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire later this month.

Mr Eustice said: “In accordance with their drought plans, water companies across the country have rightly taken action to mitigate the effects of this prolonged dry weather using the range of tools available to them.

“I strongly urge others to do the same”.

A spokesperson for industry body Water UK said: “Every company has a drought plan in place, agreed with the ministers and the Environment Agency. These set out specific triggers for activating different levels of response (including hosepipe bans).

“Government decided that it should be up to water companies to take the final judgment on when each plan’s action triggers have been met.

“In making those judgments, companies use specific indicators and criteria set out in the plans agreed with government.

“Companies are in constant dialogue with Defra and regulators on their position, as well as their forward forecasts, plans and actions.

“As we have seen this summer, companies are perfectly prepared to use restrictions to protect the environment where that becomes necessary.

“But reducing demand is just one way that companies are helping the environment – for example, they have also been sending pulses of cold water from reservoirs to rehydrate and cool down rivers to protect fish (especially salmon stocks), and are choosing their sources of water in a way that tries to alleviate as much pressure as possible on hot-spot areas of low river flows.”