Which UK areas have a hosepipe ban? Full list of locations and when restrictions will end

Describing this summer as hot feels like a serious understatement. The UK has had so many days of record-breaking heat that we’ve lost count of which heatwave we’re on now. In fact, the past few months have been such a scorcher that parts of the UK are now on the brink of drought.

The National Drought Group has announced that as of this week, vast areas of the country – including East Anglia, the West Midlands, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and London, Wessex, Thames, Solent and the South Downs – are in a state of ‘prolonged dry weather’ (ie the stage just before drought). 

Considering the situation, hosepipe bans implemented across different parts of the country should come as no surprise. Thames Water has been the latest provider to announce a temporary ban for 10.1 million people, bringing the total number of Brits living under restrictions up to 20 million.

Unsure whether the rules apply to you, or what they really mean? Here’s everything you need to know about the impacted areas, when restrictions are likely to end and any exemptions.

Which parts of England have a hosepipe ban?

More than 20 million people across south and south-east England and parts of Wales are currently facing hosepipe bans.

• Affinity Water, the country’s largest water-only supplier, provides drinking water to over 3.9 million people across three regions in the south east of England. Affinity imposed a hosepipe ban for its central region on July 17. Households in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London are impacted by the rules. 
• Anglian Water implemented a temporary use ban on July 11 for all customers. The water company serves homes in the east of England, spanning from Grimsby in the north to Southend-on-Sea in the south and from Northampton and Milton Keynes in the west to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth in the east, plus Hartlepool on the North Sea coast.
• Cambridge Water has implemented restrictions across its whole region, which serves a 730 square-kilometer area across Cambridgeshire and parts of Bedfordshire. The specific boundary extends from Ramsey in the north, Gamlingay in the west, Balsham in the east, and Melbourn in the south. The ban was announced on July 9 and came into effect on July 17. 
• In Wales, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has implemented restrictions for their customers, affecting 33,000 properties, across mid and south Ceredigion, together with parts of north Pembrokeshire and north Carmarthenshire. The ban came into force on July 19.
• South East Water, which provides drinking water services across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire, has implemented restrictions for its customers in Kent. This came into force July 3.
• Households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have been impacted by Southern Water’s hosepipe ban since July 10.
• South West Water has implemented restrictions for their customers in mid Devon and parts of east Devon. The ban came into force on July 14. 
• A ban for Thames Water customers across most of Greater London, Luton, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, north Wiltshire and far west Kent will come into force on July 23.

When do the hosepipe bans start?

Here’s when each of the hosepipe bans either started or will start. 

• South East Water: July 3
  
• Southern Water: July 10
  
• Anglian Water: July 11
  
• South West Water: July 14
  
• Affinity Water and Cambridge Water: July 17
  
• Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water: July 19
  
• Thames Water: July 23

When will the hosepipe ban end?

The short answer is, we don’t know. None of the eight water companies with either active or pending hosepipe bans have announced an end date, with many saying the rules will have to stay in place until water levels recover or there is an improvement in water supply. 

Water companies tend to lift restrictions on water usage when reservoir and river levels have sufficiently recovered or when demand falls. With hot weather and minimal rain forecast in the UK in the coming days and weeks, it’s unlikely we’ll see any of these bans lifted in the next few days.

What does a hosepipe ban mean?

A hosepipe ban, or, legally speaking, a ‘Temporary Use Ban’, prohibits households from using water supplied through a hosepipe to do things like watering gardens and lawns, filling paddling pools and swimming pools, washing cars and other vehicles with a hose or filling ornamental ponds and fountains. 

Can you use a watering can during a hosepipe ban?

Yes. During a hosepipe ban, water companies encourage customers to use watering cans or make use of water collected in a water butt. 

Can you wash your car during a hosepipe ban?

As long as you’re not using a hose, you can still keep your whip spotless. You can use a bucket and sponge, liquid collected in a water butt or cleaning products which don’t require water at all.

Who is exempt from a hosepipe ban?

Most Temporary Use Bans include exemptions, but these vary depending on the water provider. Exemptions tend to apply to customers who have certain disabilities or health issues that make it difficult to use alternatives to a hosepipe. Companies also tend to offer further support for people on the Priority Services Register. 

We’d recommend checking the list of exemptions for your water supplier.

What is the penalty for using a hosepipe during the ban? 

If you ignore the ban, your water company will likely issue an initial warning, but continued refusal to adhere to the ban could land you with a fine of up to £1,000. Hosepipe bans are legally enforceable under the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. 

Did you see that one of the world’s 25 best islands is right here in the UK?

Plus: none of the world’s ‘most liveable’ cities are in the UK, apparently.