(Bloomberg) -- Southwest England is bracing for a hosepipe ban under the extremely hot and dry weather conditions, as the country teeters toward declaring a drought. 

South West Water Ltd. said it is considering water restrictions if the hot and dry conditions persist. Europe’s increasingly frequent heat waves are a stark reminder of the unfolding climate crisis, with temperature extremes set to become more common as the world continues to burn fossil fuels. England registered the driest July in almost 90 years. 

Read more: Drought Threat Puts Spotlight on England’s Chronic Water Leaks

“If we continue to experience an unprecedented and prolonged period of hot and dry weather, alongside extremely high levels of demand we will take the next step to introduce water restrictions to help reduce usage and to protect the environment,” a South West spokesperson said. “We continue to review our position daily and will keep customers and communities fully informed via our website, social media channels as well as through the media.”

The move comes after Thames Water Ltd. revealed on Tuesday that it will impose a hosepipe ban on Londoners in the coming weeks. A ban is due to come into effect in Kent and Sussex tomorrow, an area served by South East Water Ltd., while Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are already subject to restrictions by Southern Water Ltd., which prevent people from watering gardens, cleaning cars or filling swimming pools.

Restrictions could even extend to businesses if rain levels remain low in the months ahead. “We don’t know when the drought is going to end,” Cathryn Ross, strategy and regulatory affairs director at Thames Water said in an interview with Bloomberg radio. Ross said that while there were no current plans to go beyond the hosepipe ban, the company could be forced to act, “with a heavy heart”, if the problem worsens.

South Western provides water and sewerage services to Devon, Cornwall and small parts of Dorset and Somerset.

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