UK hosepipe ban: Areas affected and full list of rules as Brits swelter in heatwave

While South East Water’s hosepipe ban will be in place from July 18, Yorkshire Water has already introduced its restrictions

Parts of the UK are gearing up for hosepipe and sprinkler bans due to the ongoing heatwave. Certain water companies are imposing restrictions to combat the effects of the highest temperatures recorded this year, reaching 34.7C in England last Friday.

South East Water is set to introduce its hosepipe ban on July 18, while Yorkshire Water’s ban came into effect from July 11. The companies have highlighted that reservoir levels are critically low after experiencing the driest spring in more than a century, as demand increases.

Yorkshire Water commented on Friday: “While we’re out 24/7 fixing leaks and looking after your water, we’re asking customers to put down their hosepipes, so we can let our reservoirs recover. Our reservoir levels haven’t actually increased since the last week of January!”.

The company further explained: “Normally our groundwater sources and reservoirs get topped up over spring when the weather is changeable but this year we’ve had the driest spring on record and Yorkshire is officially in drought. The hosepipe restrictions allow us to apply for drought permits, so we can change how we’re operating and further protect water supplies.”

A spokesperson from South East Water remarked: “With the ongoing dry weather and high temperatures, we’re all using far more water than usual at home, meaning that we’re pumping much more drinking water to customer taps than normal. Met Office reports show this has been the driest spring in the region since 1893.”, reports Yorkshire Live.

They continued: “We’ve tried everything possible to avoid these restrictions. Despite your help to save water, and our ongoing efforts to manage our water resources, including launching a comprehensive strategy to find and tackle leaks, our reservoir and underground water storage levels are really low.”

The hosepipe ban imposed by South East Water will impact locals in Kent and Sussex, encompassing significant urban areas such as Canterbury. While Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire are presently exempt from restrictions, the company confirmed it would persist in observing conditions in these areas.

Consequently, families in places like Farnham, Basingstoke and Windsor are being advised to moderate their water consumption, particularly during morning and evening peak times, to avoid low pressure. South East Water has assured customers that the enforced limitations will be lifted as soon as they can ascertain that both demand and supply have stabilised, ensuring adherence to the Drought Plan.

However, restrictions imposed by Yorkshire Water apply to any households that receive their water supply from the company, which includes residents in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, and parts of North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

The restrictions do not affect customers who only use Yorkshire Water’s wastewater services. The company has also stated that it cannot provide a specific end date for the restrictions, which will remain in place until there is substantial rainfall.

Yorkshire Water added: “We can’t predict the weather, but we will not have the restrictions in place any longer than is absolutely necessary. We will be closely monitoring this and will keep everyone updated.”

Although Thames Water has not yet implemented a ban, it has cautioned that water levels are under pressure and will closely monitor the situation.

A complete list of areas currently subject to hosepipe bans are:

• South Yorkshire.
• East Riding of Yorkshire.
• parts of North Lincolnshire.
• Parts of North Yorkshire.
• Parts of Derbyshire.
• Kent
• Sussex
• West Yorkshire.

What do restrictions mean?

During a ban, South East Water states that you are generally not permitted to use a hosepipe for certain purposes.

• Cleaning windows or patios
• Filling swimming pools
• Filling paddling pools
• Gardening
• Washing cars

For more information on the hosepipe bans, visit the South East Water or Yorkshire Water websites.