Households in the south east have been urged to save water to avoid a hosepipe ban this summer.

The winter period has been the driest since 1995/96 and crops are already being affected by the dry conditions.

Water supplier Affinity Water, which serves areas of Surrey and west London, has warned residents to take precautions to avoid any restrictions later this year.

An spokesman for Affinity Water said: “Since July 2016, our region has received just over half of the normal rainfall that we would usually expect.

"Due to the low rainfall many rivers across the Southeast of England have seen flows decrease.

"Our ground water sources have also been affected by the low rainfall, which is where 60% of the water we supply to our customers comes from.

"We are encouraging our customers to save water to help preserve supplies and minimise the possibility of restrictions this summer."

Affinity Water offer advice and free water saving devices to help customers save water, energy and money at on its website .

Tips include turning the tap off when brushing your teeth, which can save over 6,500 liters of water per year, and taking showers instead of baths.

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