As of July 2025, hosepipe bans are being enforced or announced across large parts of England due to severe water shortages. Affected areas include:
· Yorkshire Water – Ban in effect from 11 July, covering approximately 5 million customers across West/South Yorkshire, East Riding, North Yorkshire, etc.
· South East Water – Ban starts 18 July in parts of Kent and Sussex (not entire region), affecting approximately 1.4 million households
· Thames Water – Ban starts 22 July for approximately 1.1 million customers in OX, GL, SN, RG4/8/9 postcodes (Swindon, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire)
· Southern Water – Ban from 9 am on 21 July covering approximately 1 million people in Hampshire & the Isle of Wight, due to critically low chalk‑stream flows
In total, over 8.5 million people face restrictions.
The bans follow the driest spring since 1893, with rainfall down 50–70% in some regions. July heatwaves pushed water demand to record highs while rivers and reservoirs, especially chalk streams, have dropped to critical levels.
Some are 20- 30% below typical summer flow.
What the ban means:
Under a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), using hosepipes for watering gardens, washing cars, or filling pools is prohibited. Exemptions exist for medical use, Blue Badge holders, and certain businesses.
- No hosepipe usage for watering gardens, washing cars/patios/weeds, filling pools/paddling pools/hot tubs or cleaning exterior surfaces.
- Allowed: Using watering cans or non‑mains water (e.g., collected rainwater) is permitted.
- Exemptions: Medical needs, Blue‑Badge/Disability, allotment irrigation, essential cleaning, businesses on priority registers
- Penalties: Fines of up to £1,000 for violations
But drought isn’t the only reason. Critics and the WEU argue that poor resource management by water companies has worsened the crisis. Companies like Thames and Southern Water have long failed to invest in infrastructure, allowing over 2.4 billion litres a day to leak from old pipes. Despite repeated warnings, plans to build new reservoirs and improve drought resilience have been delayed.
Meanwhile, profits and dividends continue to flow, even as supplies dwindle. The Environment Agency and Ofwat have called for urgent reforms, while campaigners demand public ownership or tighter regulation.
With no significant rain forecast, bans could last for weeks or months. Officials urge all households, not just those under bans, to conserve water, highlighting how fragile the system has become after years of underinvestment and climate strain.
What happens next:
No end dates have been set and bans stay until significant rainfall refills supplies. If dry conditions persist, authorities could escalate restrictions to include filling public pools or commercial uses. Officials urge everyone, even outside ban zones, to use water sensibly, given ongoing drought stress.
In summary, sweeping hosepipe bans are being enforced across large swathes of southern and central England due to unprecedented dry conditions, low water levels, and official drought declarations.
The goal is to preserve essential supplies and protect vulnerable ecosystems, particularly rare chalk streams, until rainfall replenishes water levels. Urgent action is needed by the government