THE threat of a severe drought across Kent this summer is becoming increasingly likely, an Environment Agency expert has warned.

The continuing lack of rainfall across the region means the prospect of householders having to draw their water from standpipes in the street is fast becoming a probability.

Bridget Thorn, who is the Agency’s water resources team leader for Kent, made the grim prediction after revealing the last 15 months had been the driest in the county since the 1930sThirties.

She lives at Petham, near Canterbury, where farmer Tom Castle has been keeping rainfall figures for 50 years.

He has already issued a bleak forecast about water supplies as underground water levels sink to their lowest for years and reservoirs are drying up.

Mrs Thorn said: “Although the water companies still have hose pipe bans in place and issued advice about conserving water, I don’t think people realise how serious the situation is.

“The fact is that rainfall has been well below average for a long time and our bore holes show that underground water levels are very low.

“The winter months are traditionally the wettest but, like last year, it has been very dry and the only thing that can prevent a potential emergency situation now is if people cut back significantly on their water usage.

“I think householders will be flabbergasted if the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has to impose emergency powers and replace domestic water supplies with standpipes.”

Mrs Thorn revealed that the average person uses 33 gallons of water a day, which is equivalent to around 16 buckets.

She said: “It would, however, be quite easy to make significant household water savings without making great sacrifices.

“Demand is particularly high over Bank Holidays and we are appealling to people to just try and moderate their consumption.”

Mrs Thorn said because the situation was not as dire elsewhere in the country, the problem had not become a national issue.

Mr Castle added: “We had less than an inch of rain in January when an average would be around 2.5 to three inches. The water in my well is only at about 9ft, which is half what I would consider a healthy level for this time of year.”