TEMPORARY water use bans could be implemented across Hampshire in a bid to tackle potential water shortages.

Southern Water has announced that potential water shortages in the drier months may lead to hosepipe bans as drought becomes a bigger threat to the region.

In a bid to tackle the issues, it will be collaborating with neighbouring water companies to deliver a "water future" for the South East.

With Hampshire relying on rivers - the River Itchen and River Test -for drinking water, companies are aiming to reduce how much water they take from them when flows are low.

This means companies across the region are set to invest billions of pounds in new water sources.

But this investment will take time, says Southern Water.

Until investments are made, the area will be at risk of water shortages which could see companies applying for drought permits or drought orders to ensure customers’ supplies are maintained.

If a drought permit is granted by the Environment Agency, water restrictions will be introduced to reduce unnecessary demand on the rivers when supply is already short.

Previously known as hosepipe bans, water restrictions are now called 'temporary use bans'.

They limit some types of water use, such as using hosepipes or pressure washers.

A statement on the Southern Water website says: “If we have to impose temporary use bans, we’ll introduce them in phases starting with areas which depend on the river with low flows for water.

“We’ll provide full details in advance.”

It comes as water companies across the South East have joined forced to tackle climate change and the looming water supply shortfalls.

Prepared by Water Resources South East (WRSE), the regional plan looks beyond the boundaries of individual water companies and considers the future water needs of all customers, water users and the environment across the South East and how they could be met.

A consultation shows that by 2040, the combination of climate change, population growth, the need to provide higher levels of protection to the water environment and increasing how resilient the region’s supplies are to drought, could require a long-term programme of investment of around £8 billion to avoid a shortfall in water supplies in the South East.

This could rise to £17 billion by 2060.

The emerging plan tackles the environmental emergency facing the region’s waters. It considers how water companies could further reduce their reliance on sensitive sources, such as chalk rivers and groundwater.

WRSE is an alliance of the six water companies that operate in South East England – Affinity Water, Portsmouth Water, SES Water, Southern Water, South East Water and Thames Water – working with the water industry regulators and a range of stakeholders to develop a regional plan