A WATER company supplying 580,000 customers in Kent has finally lifted its hosepipe ban.

Mid Kent is the last water company in the region to allow residents to start using hosepipe and sprinklers again.

The company’s ban was revoked today - more than 18 months after being introduced.

The other water companies supplying homes and businesses in Kent lifted similar bans earlier this year - Thames Water and Southern Water in January and South East Water in February.

Mid Kent Water said it was now able to lift the ban because levels in underground aquifers it relies on are now rising thanks to the above average rainfall this winter.

At the start of the year some aquifers were still at critical levels but within the last few weeks they have risen enough to allow the restrictions to be lifted, said the company.

Managing director Paul Seeley thanked customers for helping to reduce demand for water during the drought.

“Their efforts combined with the hosepipe restriction enabled us to maintain essential supplies during the worst drought since 1933.

“We are confident that given normal spring and summer rainfall we will have sufficient resources to take us through to next winter.”