Families have been urged to use water wisely to allow reservoirs to be recharged during the winter months.

After a drier than normal September and October, water stocks are below the seasonal average.

Water companies have stressed that a wet end to November and normal rainfall during December, January and February will refill reservoirs and underground supplies in time for the spring and summer peak usage.

Water restrictions like hosepipe bans will only be needed if a dry winter does not recharge supplies and the South East faces drought conditions like those seen in 2006.

But households in Kent can do their bit by using water efficiently and conserving supplies where possible through simple steps like turning taps off when not in use, having showers instead of baths and installing water butts in your garden to trap rainwater.

Bewl Water, which is run by Southern Water and set in 800 acres of countryside near Lamberhurst, is the largest reservoir in the South East and holds more than 31,000 million litres of water  when full.

However, it was recorded as only being 44 per cent full on November 5, which is below the seasonal average of 67 per cent for this time of year.

Bewl is also used to top up supplies at Darwell Reservoir in East Sussex. South East Water and Southern Water worked in partnership to build a 29 kilometre pipeline to transfer water from Bewl.

Darwell, near Robertsbridge, was 31 per cent full on November 5, which is below the seasonal average of 43 per cent.

The final Southern Water site is Powdermill reservoir, near Sedlescombe in East Sussex, which was 44 per cent full on the same date. The seasonal average is 56 per cent.

South East Water owns reservoirs in Pembury, and Ardingly and Arlington in Sussex. On October 29 Arlington was 46 per cent full and Ardingly 50 per cent full.

But the water companies say a wet few months will end any threat of shortages next year.

Meyrick Gough, Southern Water’s resources manager, said: “Surface reservoirs and underground aquifers rely on winter rainfall to recharge and would generally be at their lowest at this time of year before the refill period.

“We would expect to see reservoir levels begin to rise between now and up until spring 2010.

“There is no reason to consider that we are facing a water shortage at this stage, but as always, we would encourage customers to use water wisely and continue to be water efficient.”

He added: “Now is a good time of year to install water butts in the garden, which can be filled during the winter for use in the hotter summer months next year.

A spokeswoman for South East Water said: “The reservoir levels are what we would expect to see at this time of year. They are all about 40 to 50 per cent full.

“The issue is that we have had a relatively dry September and October. We are starting to see rainfall now which is vital to refill reservoirs, which we expect to see from October to mid-March.

“Our customers have been very good since the shortages in 2005-2006. Just as people have started to think about their use of electricity and gas, they have to with water too and make sure it is not being wasted.”