Hosepipe bans in parts of drought hit Britain have come into force since midnight. Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water, Anglian Water, Sutton and East Surrey, Veolia Central and Veolia South East are to enforce restrictions.
Helen Vale, national drought co-ordinator of the Environment Agency, defended the hosepipe ban but warned that water companies and businesses must play their part to save water.
She said:
"Hosepipe bans are an effective way to cut overall water use - but they are not a silver bullet."
"While households have a very important role to play in helping to cut water use during the current drought, businesses, farmers and water companies must all play their part too, by using water wisely to ensure that the water that we do have goes further."
Millions of homeowners have been banned from using hosepipes from today as drought grips parts of the country.
Deep underground, the drying-up boreholes of East Sussex show the extent of the UK's drought problem.
20 million people across the south and east of England will be hit by hosepipe bans that have come into effect since midnight.