Parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex were placed in severe drought on 15 October 2026. That declaration covers homes and businesses supplied by the Ardingly reservoir in West Sussex and Wimbleball reservoir in Somerset, but it does not itself impose a hosepipe ban.
A hosepipe ban is formally a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), and each water company decides whether to introduce one. Water UK’s current list includes 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. Because supply boundaries and exemptions differ, check your supplier’s live postcode information before using a hosepipe.
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What was declared on 15 October 2026?
The Environment Agency says severe drought is the highest level of drought that can be declared. The current declaration applies to parts of six counties or areas, rather than every property in those counties. The affected supply zones are centred on:
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- Wimbleball reservoir: homes and businesses supplied in Somerset.
County names are only a guide. A property can be inside a named county but served by a different supplier, or outside the named reservoir area and still be subject to its water company’s TUB.
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“Is there a hosepipe ban in my area?”
- Find the water company named on your latest bill or water account.
- Use that company’s current restriction or postcode checker; do not rely on a county-level map or an old notice.
- Read the company’s exemptions and start date, especially if you are a business, allotment holder or responsible for a vulnerable person.
- Check again before watering or cleaning outdoors because a TUB can be introduced, expanded or lifted after conditions change.
Water UK’s current FAQ identifies these affected company areas. The scope shown is not a substitute for the supplier’s live checker.
| Supplier | Coverage listed by Water UK | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Affinity Water | Central region: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and parts of London and Essex | Regional coverage; verify the postcode |
| Anglian Water | Whole region | Company-wide area, subject to the company notice |
| Bristol Water | Whole region | Company-wide area, subject to the company notice |
| Cambridge Water | Whole region | Company-wide area, subject to the company notice |
| Essex and Suffolk Water | All household customers in its supply area | Household scope; check business terms separately |
| Southern Water | Hampshire and the Isle of Wight | Regional coverage; verify the postcode |
| South East Water | Kent, with Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire added from later dates | Phased dates and boundaries matter |
| South West Water | Mid Devon and parts of East Devon initially; later all customers across Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly | Phased expansion; check which stage applies |
| 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 | Company-wide supply area, not every property in each named county |
| Wessex Water | All customers | Company-wide area, subject to the current notice |
“Are more regions going to implement a ban?”
More areas may be added if dry weather continues, reservoirs fall, river and groundwater levels deteriorate or environmental pressure increases. The severe-drought declaration raises the level of concern, but it does not create an automatic national ban. Water companies make their own TUB decisions and can use different start dates, geographic boundaries and exemptions.
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The Environment Agency’s 15 October statement said that 82% of England remained in drought. That figure describes the wider water-resource situation, not the percentage of properties already under a hosepipe restriction. A supplier can therefore introduce a TUB in one part of its network while a neighbouring supplier has no ban.
“What are the restrictions? What is allowed and not allowed?”
A TUB normally covers use of a hosepipe or similar device for the activities below. The exact legal wording is set by the company’s notice.
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| Usually prohibited during a TUB | Generally allowed, subject to the supplier’s notice |
|---|---|
| Watering gardens, lawns or plants with a hosepipe | Watering with a can or bucket |
| Filling or topping up paddling pools and hot tubs | Uses covered by a stated exemption |
| Cleaning cars, vans and other vehicles with a hosepipe | Essential health-and-safety uses where the notice permits them |
| Cleaning buildings, patios, decking and other outdoor surfaces | Provisions for vulnerable customers where the company provides them |
“Generally allowed” is not universal permission. A watering can may be acceptable for one supplier’s TUB while a particular commercial or safety-related use requires an exemption or advance approval. Read the notice that applies to your address.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How a Temporary Use Ban becomes law
The Environment Agency describes TUBs, formerly called hosepipe bans, as restrictions water companies can impose under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, as amended by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. Before a restriction takes effect, the company must give public notice and allow representations. The notice sets out the affected area, prohibited uses, exemptions and commencement arrangements.
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“How long will restrictions be in place?”
There is no single end date for all suppliers. A TUB remains until the company judges that water resources and environmental pressures have improved enough to lift it. Companies reassess rainfall and forecasts, reservoir levels, river flows, groundwater and ecological health. A ban can therefore last beyond the next rainfall event, and different suppliers can end restrictions at different times.
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Why restrictions are being used now
Restrictions reduce peak demand so reservoirs recover when rain returns and treatment works can keep pace with lower daily demand. In an Environment Agency report dated 9 October covering 31 July–6 August, more than 25 million people were under water-use restrictions. England’s reservoir storage was 69%, which was 11.6% below the long-term average for that point in the year, and the report recorded 1,534 abstraction restrictions.
Useful actions that remain lawful
- Take shorter showers and fit a low-flow shower head.
- Repair dripping taps, leaking toilets and outdoor leaks promptly.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth.
- Run washing machines only with the recommended load.
- Fit a cistern displacement device where the toilet is compatible.
- Install a water butt or rainwater barrel for garden use.
- Use a watering can or bucket instead of a hosepipe only where your supplier’s TUB allows it.
If you manage a garden, allotment or business site, keep the supplier’s notice available for staff and contractors. It is the company’s current terms—not a general list of drought tips—that determines what is lawful at your address.
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