DURING one of the wettest spells this spring water bosses have finally admitted that Hampshire is likely to face a hosepipe ban.

Despite rain falling by the bucket-load over the weekend and for the remainder of this week, experts say it won't be enough to replenish reservoirs.

If the ban comes into place it would be the first such restriction since the famous heatwave of 1976.

environment Agency chiefs say the south is heading for its most severe water shortage in nearly 30 years.

In February the Daily Echo revealed that environment chiefs thought this summer could be the most serious drought for a decade.

The Environment Agency, after the second driest winter on record, now thinks only 1976 will have been worse.

The rainfall tally at the Otterbourne measuring station near Winchester has shown that between October and March only the winter of 1975-76 saw less rain.

Now the spring has failed produce enough rain to refill the county's underground reserves and any further downpours will be too little, too late.

Rod Murchie, the Environment Agency's Hampshire water resources manager, said: "March was a lot wetter but the winter period was still the second driest since records began in 1892. We are in a serious drought situation.

"A hosepipe ban may be required. If things get worse Southern Water may agree to conserve water supplies and say a hosepipe ban is needed."

Experts fear the water shortage could have a major impact on the ecologically sensitive rivers Test, Itchen and Meon.

The dry winter means that the underground chalk reservoirs, the giant "sponges" under Hampshire that store water and feed its main rivers, are far drier than usual.

Mr Murchie added: "We are not yet in a high-demand period. It is difficult to predict what will happen. But we will have low river flows throughout the summer. Rainfall now is lost through evaporation or transpiration through plants."

Even contemplating a hosepipe ban shows the depth of the crisis. Water companies have made big strides in reducing leaks from their pipes, a historic aggravating feature in dry periods.

Hampshire has been spared really serious droughts since 1989-1992 when long stretches of streams and rivers dried up.

A Southern Water spokeswoman said: "Hampshire is not as great a concern as Sussex and parts of Kent. It's a lot worse there.

"I wouldn't say we are looking to bring in any sort of restrictions but it is difficult to say, it is dependent on the summer.

"If there is a huge increase in demand in a long, hot summer then we can't rule out restrictions."