Drought-hit Sussex is being charged for emergency supplies of water from one of its own reservoirs.

Although Littleheath Reservoir is located near Fontwell, well within the county boundary, it is owned by Portsmouth Water.

It has emerged that Southern Water, which supplies most of Sussex, is buying ten megalitres a day from the company to supply areas in the north of the county.

The company said pumping water from Littleheath worked out cheaper because it was 50km closer than its own emergency source in Hampshire. But it refused to reveal the cost.

A spokeswoman said: "Southern Water is a private company and therefore there are some aspects of our business which are commercially sensitive."

Two years ago the firms joined forces to spend £6.5 million on Whiteways Lodge Reservoir near Arundel, a pumping station in Slindon and interconnecting pipeline for periods of drought.

The water is pumped from Littleheath across the South downs via Whiteways Lodge Reservoir to Southern Water's treatment works in Hardham near Pulborough. It is then pumped north to Crawley and Horsham.

The operation has been going on since January and Southern Water could take a maximum of 15 megalitres a day if demand gets higher.

Water regulator Ofwat and the Environment Agency have approved the arrangement.

Meyrick Gough, water planning and strategy manager for Southern Water, said: "This 17km pipeline has been a key element in our supply system.

"The transfer of water has been of great benefit during the current drought in supporting our north Sussex supply area."

Portsmouth Water said its own patch which encroaches into Sussex and includes Chichester, Bognor, Selsey, Whiteways Lodge, East Wittering, West Wittering, Ford and Fontwell was not suffering from a drought.

Customer services director John Cogley said: "We anticipated pumping water to Southern Water from mid-September to November on a one-in-three year basis.

"We weren't anticipating using it as early as mid-January and for as long but we are in exceptional circumstances."

Karen Gibbs, regional manager at the Consumer Council for Water, said the arrangement was good practice. She added: "The fact that Portsmouth Water's water is comparatively cheaper than other sources means this arrangement is reasonably cost-effective."

Bexhill and Battle MP Gregory Barker, the Conservatives' shadow environment minister, said: "If the water companies are co-operating, it's to be encouraged."

Southern Water is expecting a decision soon on its application for a drought order.

Thursday, May 25, 2006