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Parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex are now under a severe-drought declaration, but that declaration does not automatically create a hosepipe ban. A hosepipe ban is legally a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), and each water company decides whether to impose one. On 15 October 2026, Water UK’s current list included Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Bristol Water, Cambridge Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, Southern Water, South East Water, South West Water, Thames Water and Wessex Water. Your supplier’s live postcode checker is the only reliable way to confirm whether your home or business is covered.
What was declared on 15 October 2026?
The Environment Agency declared severe drought in parts of six areas: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex. The declaration is concentrated around homes and businesses supplied by the Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex and Wimbleball reservoir in Somerset; it does not mean every property in each named county is affected.
The agency describes severe drought as the highest drought level that can be declared. It also states that severe drought does not automatically mean new restrictions. Water companies use their own legal powers to introduce TUBs where local supply and environmental conditions require them.
The wider situation remains serious. The Environment Agency reported that 82% of England remained in drought on 15 October 2026. In its report covering 31 July to 6 August, more than 25 million people were already subject to water-use restrictions, reservoir storage was 69%—11.6% below the long-term average for that point in the year—and 1,534 abstraction restrictions had been recorded.
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Is there a hosepipe ban in my area?
Check your water supplier, not just your county. A TUB can cover a whole company region, a named part of a region, or customers from a specified date. Boundaries, start dates, exemptions and business rules differ and can change as companies reassess supplies.
- Find the supplier named on your water bill or account.
- Open that company’s current restrictions or postcode-checker page. Water UK’s current FAQ links to the relevant company pages.
- Enter the property postcode and read the notice for the exact start date, covered uses, exemptions and any separate rules for businesses or communal premises.
- If the result is unclear, contact the supplier before using a hosepipe; a county-level announcement is not proof that your address is included.
Companies currently listed with Temporary Use Bans
Water UK’s FAQ lists TUBs for some or all customers of the following suppliers. The coverage below reflects the information available on 15 October 2026; use each supplier’s live notice for the operative position.
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| Supplier | Coverage described by Water UK | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity Water | Central region: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and parts of London and Essex | Whether the property is inside the central-region boundary and any local start date |
| Anglian Water | Whole region | Property-specific exemptions and current notice |
| Bristol Water | Whole region | Start date and exemptions |
| Cambridge Water | Whole region | Start date and exemptions |
| Essex and Suffolk Water | All household customers in its supply area | Whether non-household premises have different terms |
| Southern Water | Hampshire and the Isle of Wight | Exact supply-area boundary and exemptions |
| South East Water | Kent, plus Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire from later dates | The effective date for the relevant county and postcode |
| South West Water | Initially Mid Devon and parts of East Devon; later all customers across Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly | Which phase and date applies to the property |
| Thames Water | All customers in its supply area, including most of Greater London, Luton, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, north Wiltshire and far west Kent | Whether the address lies within the company’s supply area |
| Wessex Water | All customers | Current notice and exemptions |
What a hosepipe ban allows and prohibits
A TUB generally prohibits using a hosepipe or similar device for:
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- Watering a garden, lawn or plants.
- Filling or topping up a paddling pool or hot tub.
- Cleaning a car, van or other vehicle.
- Cleaning buildings, patios, decking or other outdoor surfaces.
Watering cans and buckets are generally allowed, but that is not a universal guarantee. Water UK notes that exemptions may apply for health and safety or vulnerable customers, and each company sets the detailed terms. Some equipment or uses that appear similar to a hosepipe can still fall within a company’s definition of a restricted device. Read the supplier’s notice before relying on an exemption.
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- ROBUST DESIGN: Manufactured from high-quality rotationally molded polyethylene that’s safe for long-term potable water storage and built to withstand decades of use.
- EASY FILLING, DRAINING & CLEANING: Includes a 5-inch twist lid for quick filling and internal cleaning, plus a built-in brass spigot for simple dispensing and water rotation.
- BUILT TO LAST: Backed by over 70 years of tank-manufacturing experience, our emergency water tanks are tested for strength, leak integrity, and safety—so you can rely on them when it matters most.
The Environment Agency says TUBs were formerly called hosepipe bans. Companies implement them under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, as amended by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. Before a restriction comes into force, the company must give public notice and allow representations.
Why water companies are imposing restrictions
Restrictions reduce demand while reservoirs, rivers and groundwater recover. Water UK says they conserve stored water, help supplies rebuild when rain returns and allow treatment works to keep pace with peaks in demand. The Environment Agency’s figures show why companies are acting even where a particular reservoir has not reached an emergency level: river flows and groundwater are falling, national storage is below its seasonal average, and ecological pressures are increasing.
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Are more regions likely to implement a ban?
More areas can be added, but there is no automatic sequence from a severe-drought declaration to a nationwide ban. The Environment Agency monitors rainfall, river flows, groundwater, reservoirs and ecological health. Individual companies then decide whether a TUB is necessary for their supply system, publish notice and specify its scope.
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How long will restrictions be in place?
TUBs have no single national end date. They remain in force until water resources and environmental pressures improve enough for the company to lift them. Companies reassess weather forecasts, reservoir levels, river and groundwater conditions, demand and ecological health. The lifting criteria and notice period are set out in the supplier’s announcement, so the postcode checker is the authoritative source for your address.
What you can do now
Even where a hosepipe is still permitted, reducing demand helps protect supplies and may reduce the chance of tighter restrictions.
- Take shorter showers and fit a low-flow shower head.
- Repair dripping taps, toilets and visible leaks promptly.
- Fit a cistern displacement device to reduce water used by each flush where the toilet is compatible.
- Run washing machines only with the recommended full load.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth.
- Install a water butt or rainwater barrel and use collected rainwater for garden watering.
- Where your supplier permits it, use a watering can or bucket instead of a hosepipe.
These measures are useful in every region, but they do not replace checking the legal terms of a TUB. If your supplier’s notice says a use is prohibited, follow that notice even if another company allows it.
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