UK utility Thames Water extends hosepipe ban despite rain

(Reuters) - British water utility Thames Water said on Tuesday it would extend an existing ban on hosepipes as there was still "much less water in our rivers than usual" despite recent rain.

"This year has been one of the driest on record, with 10 of the last 12 months experiencing below average rainfall," a company spokesperson said.

"Our reservoir levels continue to remain below average and a lot more rain will need to fall to get our water levels back to normal."

The initial ban on customers from using hosepipes was enforced on Aug. 24, roughly a month after the country recorded its highest ever temperaturesat 40.3C (104.54°F) during an unprecedented heat wave.

The spokesperson declined to give a specific date when asked how long the ban will stay in place, saying that it would "depend on the weather".

Thames Water, one of the country's biggest water utilities, serves 15 million customers across the region.

(Reporting by Gokul Pisharody in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler)