https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-66007675
A water company that has imposed a hosepipe ban has blamed people working from home for the shortage.
South East Water, which supplies more than two million homes and businesses in Sussex and Kent, will implement the restriction from Monday.
Chief Executive David Hinton said demand had swelled by about 20% over a short period of time which had put the existing infrastructure under stress.
Customers said the real problem was the company's lack of investment.
A petition has been set up calling for a change of ownership at South East Water.
In a letter to customers, Mr Hinton described people working from home as a “key factor” behind the ban.
He wrote: “Over the past three years the way in which drinking water is being used across the south east has changed considerably.
“The rise of working from home has increased drinking water demand in commuter towns by around 20% over a very short period, testing our existing infrastructure.”
Mr Hinton also blamed low rainfall since April and a recent spell of hot weather, which he said led to a spike in demand for drinking water.
“Our reservoir and aquifer stocks of raw water, essential to our water supply but not ready to be used, are in a good position. However, demand for treated mains water, which takes time to process and deliver, was greater than we could meet.
“Over the past week we have needed to find water to supply the equivalent of an additional four towns the size of Maidstone or Eastbourne, every day.”