If you live in the South East—think Kent, Sussex, parts of Hampshire—you might already be under a temporary ban. Southern Water has a “hosepipe and sprinkler ban” in force across large parts of its area.
In Yorkshire, Yorkshire Water has warned of restrictions if the dry weather persists. Meanwhile, Thames Water (covering London) has not announced a ban yet, but they have issued a “water resilience” warning that basically means use less, please.
Thames Water hosepipe ban for 15M people begins today with 5M more from
For the rest of the UK, it’s a mixed bag. North West England is generally fine, while South West Water has remained quiet. The best move? Bookmark your water company’s hosepipe ban page and check it weekly—like a weather app, but with more guilt.
Fun Facts to Impress at the Barbecue
Did you know that the average hosepipe uses 1,000 litres of water per hour? That’s about 14 full bathtubs. In a thirty-minute session, you’re basically emptying a small swimming pool onto your petunias.
Alternatively, a watering can holds about 10 litres and takes five minutes to fill. That’s 120 litres per hour—far less wasteful. Also, the phrase “hosepipe ban” officially became “temporary use ban” in 2026 because water companies felt the old term sounded too draconian. Marketing won.
