UK water companies do not have one nationwide drought power. In England, a company can impose a temporary use ban (TUB), usually called a hosepipe ban, after public notice. More serious shortages can lead to a drought permit or drought order. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland use different statutory systems and authorities. The notice issued by your own supplier is the legal source for the area, activities, dates and exemptions that apply to you.
The short answer: three levels of restriction
The measure a water company can use depends on the nation, the seriousness of the shortage and whether the problem is customer demand or the availability of water in rivers, reservoirs and other sources.
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- Temporary use ban (TUB): In England, this restricts specified customer uses, such as watering a garden with a hosepipe, filling a paddling pool or washing a car. It is a demand-management measure and is normally the first formal restriction.
- Drought permit: An environmental regulator can authorise a water undertaker to take water from a specified source or change an existing abstraction restriction. It primarily changes how water is taken from the environment, rather than banning every household use.
- Drought order: A broader legal instrument can authorise abstraction or discharges, limit abstractions and, in some cases, prohibit or limit customers’ water use. An emergency drought order is reserved for a severe supply deficiency and can allow standpipes or water tanks.
These are not interchangeable labels. A hosepipe restriction does not automatically mean that all outdoor water use, or all use of a garden hose, is prohibited. Conversely, an abstraction measure may affect the water system without creating a customer-facing ban. Read the exact notice for your supplier and address.
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How an English temporary use ban works
Authority and procedure
Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991 gives an English water company the power to impose a temporary use ban. The company does not need prior approval from the Environment Agency to make the ban, but it must publish a period of public notice and allow representations before the restriction starts. The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 defines the categories of use that can be restricted.
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The notice is therefore more important than a generic description of a “hosepipe ban”. It identifies the company, the affected supply area, the start date, the uses covered, any exemptions and how the company will review or end the restriction. Two neighbouring companies can issue notices with different wording or dates.
Uses that can be covered
The Environment Agency gives garden watering, filling paddling pools and washing cars as examples of non-essential hosepipe uses. The statutory order allows a notice to select particular activities; it does not create an automatic ban on every use of mains water. A company may list exemptions or define terms such as “automatic watering device”, “public garden” or “construction site” in its own notice. Do not infer an exemption from another company’s announcement.
When a TUB can be used
Government guidance describes TUBs as usually among the first formal steps available to reduce customer demand. A company should generally implement a TUB before seeking a drought permit, unless its drought plan explains why a ban is inappropriate. TUBs can also be used outside a formally declared drought and at any time of year, although they are particularly useful during periods of high summer demand.
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What it means for watering a garden
If your notice restricts hosepipe watering, using a watering can may be an option to consider, but the legal treatment of alternatives is determined by the notice. Some notices distinguish between a hose connected to the mains and water carried by hand; others contain detailed exceptions. Check your supplier’s wording before changing equipment or assuming a particular method is allowed.
What happens if a TUB is not enough?
Drought permits
In England, a water undertaker applies to the Environment Agency for a drought permit. The agency may authorise taking water from a specified source, or suspend or modify an existing restriction or obligation on abstraction, subject to conditions in the permit. This is primarily an abstraction decision: it can change how much or when a company takes water, rather than simply adding another list of prohibited household activities.
Government guidance says a company should demonstrate additional conservation measures before applying. Examples include publicity campaigns, temporary use restrictions, leakage control and reducing mains pressure. A permit is granted for the source and circumstances described in the application, so its conditions and duration matter.
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Ordinary drought orders
The Secretary of State grants drought orders in England. An ordinary order can authorise specified actions such as taking or discharging water, limiting abstractions, or allowing a water company to prohibit or limit particular uses of water. It is therefore capable of affecting both the supply system and customers, but the order and any associated notice define the actual scope.
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An emergency drought order requires a serious deficiency in supplies that is likely to impair economic or social well-being. It gives wider discretion over prohibited or limited uses and can authorise emergency arrangements such as standpipes or water tanks. The Environment Agency’s cited guidance reports that emergency drought orders have not been used since 1976. Their existence in the legislation should not be read as evidence that such measures are routine.
| Mechanism | Who acts in England | What it can change | Typical reader impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary use ban | Water company, following public notice | Specified customer uses listed in the notice | Restrictions on activities such as hosepipe watering, paddling-pool filling or car washing |
| Drought permit | Environment Agency, on a water undertaker’s application | Abstraction from a specified source; existing abstraction conditions may be suspended or modified | Usually an environmental and operational measure, with conditions attached to the permit |
| Ordinary drought order | Secretary of State | Abstraction, discharges, abstraction limits and potentially specified customer uses | Can impose wider restrictions than a TUB, depending on the order |
| Emergency drought order | Secretary of State | Extensive controls during a serious supply deficiency | Can allow standpipes or water tanks; not used since 1976 according to Environment Agency guidance |
How the system differs across the UK
England
English companies use the Water Industry Act 1991 framework for TUBs. The Environment Agency decides drought-permit applications, while the Secretary of State grants drought orders. A company notice supplies the practical rules for customers; national guidance does not replace that notice.
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Wales
Natural Resources Wales grants drought permits and advises on applications for drought orders. Welsh Ministers grant drought orders. A Welsh permit or order can allow additional abstraction, reduce other abstractions or restrict specified water uses. The mechanism and decision-maker therefore differ from England even though the terms “drought permit” and “drought order” are familiar in both nations.
Scotland
Scotland has a separate water-shortage-supply-order mechanism under Part 7 of the Water Resources (Scotland) Act 2013. Scottish Water may propose an order to Scottish Ministers when it believes a serious supply deficiency exists or is threatened. It should not be assumed that an English TUB notice or procedure applies to a Scottish address.
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The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 gives the Department power to make drought orders following an exceptional shortage of rain. A water undertaker may apply where there is a deficiency in supplies. The responsible authority and legal route are consequently different from those in Great Britain.
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| Nation | Customer or drought mechanism in the cited framework | Responsible authority |
|---|---|---|
| England | TUBs; drought permits; drought orders | Water company; Environment Agency for permits; Secretary of State for orders |
| Wales | Drought permits and drought orders, with restrictions or abstraction changes possible | Natural Resources Wales for permits and advice; Welsh Ministers for orders |
| Scotland | Water shortage supply orders under Part 7 of the 2013 Act | Scottish Water may propose; Scottish Ministers decide |
| Northern Ireland | Drought orders under the 2006 Order | Department; water undertaker may apply for a supply deficiency |
How to check what applies to your home or business
- Identify the supplier and nation. Use the company named on your bill or water account. Do not rely on a social-media post about a different supplier.
- Open the current restriction notice. Look for the notice or drought-information page issued by that supplier. The legally relevant document should state the affected area and customer group.
- Check the start date and status. A proposed restriction, a consultation and an active ban are different stages. Note any review, cancellation or extension date.
- Read the activity list line by line. Check whether the notice covers garden watering, vehicle washing, pool filling, cleaning, commercial uses or another specified activity. Do not expand the list from examples in a news report.
- Check exemptions and definitions. The notice may contain exceptions for particular users, equipment, medical needs or operational purposes. Use only the exemptions actually stated there.
- Keep the notice for the relevant date. Restrictions are local and time-sensitive. If the notice changes, the newer version controls the activities and dates going forward.
When comparing two notices, use the same six points: legal mechanism, affected geography and customer group, prohibited or limited use, start and end or review conditions, exemptions and notice process, and whether the measure changes customer behaviour or environmental abstraction. This prevents an abstraction permit from being mistaken for a hosepipe ban.
How widespread have English TUBs been?
The Environment Agency’s report for 25 September to 1 October 2026 recorded active TUBs in parts or all of the areas served by 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. This is a dated England snapshot, not a statement that every customer of those companies, or every UK resident, was covered at the same time.
For scale, the Environment Agency recorded the following numbers of people affected by TUBs in English drought events, as reported in February 2026:
| Drought event | People impacted |
|---|---|
| 2005 to early 2007 | 15,637,900 |
| 2010 | 6,500,000 |
| 2012 | 20,000,000 |
| 2022 to 2023 | 20,277,881 |
| 2025 to February 2026 | 9,046,577 |
These figures describe people affected in England during the named events; they are not a current population forecast or a UK-wide total. The 2026 report date and the February 2026 impact figures also illustrate why an old article can be misleading: the companies, areas and status of restrictions can change during a single season.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming a UK-wide ban: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different laws and decision-makers.
- Assuming every water use is prohibited: A TUB restricts the activities listed in its notice; it is not automatically a ban on all household water.
- Confusing a permit with a customer ban: A drought permit mainly changes abstraction conditions, while a TUB targets specified uses by customers.
- Using a generic exemption: An exemption in one company’s notice does not automatically apply in another area.
- Relying on an old announcement: Check the current notice for your address, including its review or cancellation information.
What to remember
A water company cannot be treated as having one unlimited “drought power”. In England, the normal customer-facing tool is a notified temporary use ban covering specified activities. Drought permits and drought orders are separate escalation routes, with different authorities and effects; emergency orders are exceptional and can support standpipes or tanks. Elsewhere in the UK, the statutory machinery changes. For any decision about using a hose, watering a garden or running a business, your supplier’s current notice is the definitive starting point.
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