Tough new restrictions on water use could be announced today.

Southern Water is expecting a decision on its application for a drought order that would allow it to limit how businesses can use water.

The decision will be made by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Despite the recent wet weather the company, which supplies most of Sussex, says the order is necessary to help it cope with an expected drought this summer.

It says groundwater levels and streams are already severely depleted.

Steel Forge River in Ashdown Forest, near Hartfield, where Winnie the Pooh and his friends played Pooh Sticks in the book by AA Milne, is expected to dry up again this year.

Southern Water's ban would have a major impact on window-cleaning firms, sports grounds and the private swimming pool industry.

Meanwhile, plant nurseries and garden centres have already seen much of their trade disappear.

Many are trying to show customers it is possible to have a thriving garden without a hosepipe or sprinkler.

Chas Hammond, who runs Spithandle Nurseries in Wiston, near Steyning, with his wife Jane, said: "People just aren't buying any plants. We are really struggling.

"Trade is down by 75 per cent. It is desperate.

"We lost all our council contracts, which was another disaster.

"It is scandalous. If we had staff we'd have laid them off by now.

"I hold Southern Water totally responsible. These people should be hanging their heads in shame. It is all about shareholders and profit-making."

Mr Hammond said if people were to buy plants, they would find that they can be watered quite easily, using rainfall.

He said: "We have stuff outside we haven't watered."

Jane Birch, one of the owners of Stone Cross Nurseries' Garden Centre in Pevensey, said: "People are very cautious and it's impacting on plant sales.

"We have to be concerned because plant sales are a big percentage of our turnover. We are growers as well as retailers. It is worrying."

She said the centre was doing what it could to promote water-efficient gardening and was selling water butts and watering cans.

Councils are also taking steps to save water.

Hastings Borough Council has halved the number of hanging baskets and most of its bedding plants will be watered from the stream in Alexandra Park.

Latest figures show that two of Southern Water's reservoirs, Darwell and Powdermill near Battle, are completely full.

Bewl Water on the Kent border is 85 per cent full and Weir Wood near East Grinstead is 71 per cent full.

Rainfall is now at 133 per cent of the monthly average.

At Falmer at the weekend there was more than 26 mm of rain.

The drought order would be implemented in three phases.

A Southern Water spokeswoman said it was not yet known how quickly this would happen.

Hosepipe bans remain in force across Sussex.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said up until yesterday most of Sussex had received above average rainfall for May, of 50 to 60mm.

Some coastal areas received less but were expected to reach the average by Wednesday.