It may have been bucketing down for weeks almost without a break, but water firms have vowed to keep their hosepipe bans in place.

South East Water says it will keep its bans as it monitors water levels.

It claims that, while recent rainfall has boosted river and reservoir levels, it has had little impact on the region’s groundwater sources - many of which remain at severe levels.

As these provide three-quarters of all customers’ water supplies South East Water says its restrictions are likely to remain until at least the autumn.

The statement follows Thames Water's announcement that it expects to lift its hoespipe ban "sooner rather than later".

However, four other firms – all in the South East – have confirmed the bans will remain.

South East Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Veolia Water Central and Veolia Water Southeast all rely heavily on ground water supplies, which are in places severely depleted.

The other two companies of the seven currently with restrictions – Southern Water and Anglian Water – say they will also continue to keep restrictions under review.

Paul Butler, managing director of South East Water, said: “We understand that customers could be confused and frustrated as to why some companies are considering lifting restrictions, while we have to keep ours in place.

"The fact is the amount of water currently available in our underground reserves simply doesn’t support that course of action, and ahead of what could be much warmer, drier months.

“South East Water gets 75 per cent of the water it supplies from underground supplies, which are very low – some are approaching levels that we’ve never seen before.

"Conversely other companies get the majority of water supplies from rivers or reservoirs which responded well to all the early spring rainfall."

A statement from Southern Water said the firm's restrictions on water use in Kent and Sussex would remain in place, although the company has granted an exception for gardening businesses and their clients, who can water newly-laid turf, trees, flowers and shrubs for 28 days after planting.

It said the company was continuing to monitor demand, with another hot spell likely to drain resources.

The statement continued: "The rainfall over the weekend meant that the increase in water use expected in the popular seaside towns did not occur and reservoir and river flows received a welcome boost.

"It follows the April downpours, which put water resources across the South East in a stronger position.

"However, some underground sources, which provide the majority of the water for the region, remain below average for this time of year as they recover from two exceptionally dry winters."