They never issue any press releases about the good news because it
doesn't suit their political agenda but the Environment Agency is now
reporting big improvements in river, reservoir and groundwater levels:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk...4767/1131486/?
version=1&lang=_e

And although they maintain that hosepipe restrictions will continue
until well into the winter, one of the south east water companies,
Folkestone & Dover, has this month ended its hosepipe ban:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk...4767/1131486/1
401202/?lang=_e

The Government (Defra) has promised to update its drought laws next
year and will publish a consultation paper next month. Its aim is to
make emergency water use restrictions fairer, more logical and
universally interpreted by all the water companies. Thereafter, water
companies will no longer be able to tell lies to customers about what
hosepipe uses are banned.

Until then, a new voluntary code of practice will shortly be adopted by
the water companies to bring forward consistency.

The likelihood is that the new legislation will remove some of the
anomalies in the current aged hosepipe laws, eg by bringing swimming
pools, pressure washers and other exempt water uses under control; but
it will exempt from the early stages of drought restrictions efficient
plant watering methods such as micro irrigation systems which are
illogically banned under the current rules.

We may also expect to see an adaptation of the Australian hosepipe laws
whereby hose use is restricted only at certain times of the day or on
certain days of the week.