A water company is calling for all water use in Sussex to be metered to help prevent shortages.

Southern Water, which last week imposed the first restrictions on hosepipes and sprinklers for almost a decade, said the county suffered from having a large population and a dry climate.

About 110,000 homes in northern Sussex are affected by the restrictions, which were prompted by low water levels at the Weir Wood Reservoir near East Grinstead.

The reservoir, which depends entirely on rainfall, is currently less than half full. It should normally be more than 80 per cent full at this time of year.

With last winter the driest on record since 1904, Southern Water has admitted the possibility that restrictions may have to be widened to other parts of the county.

The company is preparing to introduce new rules that would see water meters installed in all houses undergoing a change of occupancy.

Jessica Spratt, spokeswoman for Southern Water, said: "Overall, it is estimated that water meters typically reduce the demand for water by ten per cent. They give the customer the chance to be in control of how much they pay for water and can save them money. Customers who have a water meter fitted become more aware of how to conserve water."

Ms Spratt said Southern Water was encouraging people to use water wisely to prevent the need for further restrictions on water use later in the year.

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised in the House of Lords that house-building plans for the South-East will make matters worse. Baroness Trumpington said: "It must have been known well before any plans were made for increased housing that there has been a constant water shortage in the area. That has been so well known that I find it incredible the building is continuing."

During the exchange it emerged that water companies have been lobbying the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for compulsory meters to head off water shortages. Baroness O'Cathain, a director of South-East Water, said: "The water companies have been badgering for compulsory metering for ages. We cannot get it. It is not in the water companies' hands - it is in the hands of the Government."

Baroness O'Cathain claimed that the average amount of water available per head in the South-East is less than in Sudan.

She added: "At the moment the South-East has 55 per cent of the normal water reserves for this time of the year. That is the position without all this new house building.

Government minister Baroness Andrews refused to accept that it was down to the Government to decide on compulsory metering.

She said: "In so far as we work in partnership with the water companies and the Environment Agency, we would prefer that decisions on matters such as compulsory metering are taken jointly and in partnership as part of the whole approach to sustainability."

Baroness Andrews said "issues of sustainability" were central to the Government's thinking on house building. There will be "improved demand management" and more investment.

She added: "It is to be hoped that it will rain before long."

Wednesday June 15 2005