A RESIDENT has hit out at a council for "wasting gallons of water" removing chewing gum from pavements.

Greenwich Council workers have been spraying New Eltham High Street with high-powered sprays for the past five weeks, according to resident Julie Pilford.

The 71-year-old says the street's gum problem has been getting worse for the past five years but is horrified the council has decided to take action at a time when water is so scarce.

The past 21 months have been one of the driest spells on record across the south of England, with just two of these months recording above average rainfall.

Mrs Pilford said: "Residents are having to watch how they use water.

"We can't use hosepipes to water our lawns and are facing further restrictions which could see us using standpipes.

"But as I walk down the High Street I've seen water leaking out of the mains pipes where they connect their sprays.

"Only now, when we're in the grip of a drought, does the council decide to waste gallons of water removing the gum.

"The workers should be using a bit of elbow grease and try scraping it off."

Thames Water has applied for a drought order and is expecting to hear from the Government by the end of the month about implementing it.

While councils are not affected by the hosepipe ban, a drought order would enable water bosses to impose restrictions on councils for non- essential water use.

A spokesman for Greenwich Council confirmed jets are being used as part of a deep-clean programme to remove chewing gum from pavements.

He said: "The council has opted for a cleaning method which recycles water.

"The machines spray out water and then suck it up and reuse it.

"In an hour of use, they use an average of just five litres of water."