Customers have been told to only turn on their taps if absolutely necessary by a water company to avoid supply issues.
Residents in parts of Sussex, including those in Haywards Heath and Eastbourne, have been placed in a “red zone” by South East Water.
It means they are under the strictest water saving guidelines as consumption went “beyond normal levels” in the recent warmer weather.
A spokesman for South East Water said: “The soaring temperatures across our regions have mean using more water than normal.
“Over the weekend we treated and supplied enough additional water to serve four towns the size of Eastbourne.
“We’re asking for your help. Please use water for essential purposes only to keep the taps flowing for everyone.”
READ MORE: Newhaven and Peacehaven homes without water after outage
The average daily water consumption level during “warmer months” sits at 540 million litres, but the company supplied 678 million on June 10.
The move has caused anger among customers, with one person saying: “I'm sorry, this is insulting.
“You know full well water will be in high demand during summer. Be more proactive please, don't blame customers using what they pay for.”
It comes after South East Water customers in Newhaven and Peacehaven were without supply or with low water pressure last weekend after two bursts on the network.
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