Meyrick Gough, from Southern Water, said thoughts of a hosepipe ban were "very far away".

BBC: Southern Water: Hosepipe ban is 'very far away'

Water companies there are all confident there will be no need to introduce a hosepipe ban for customers this year.

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Southern Water lifted its hosepipe ban on 13 June, with the last four companies removing their bans on 9 July.

BBC: Southern Water: Hosepipe ban is 'very far away'

It says flash floods caused "chaos" on Tuesday in north-west England, "but despite the deluge the hosepipe ban remained firmly in place".

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Mike Hegarty, operations director for Sutton and East Surrey Water, said the hosepipe ban had been expected to be in place throughout the summer.

BBC: Hosepipe bans: Final four companies lift restrictions