Hosepipe ban update – South East Water restrictions lifted after a wet July

Usually, a hosepipe ban means you will not be allowed to use a hosepipe or sprinkler system for jobs like watering the garden, washing your car, pressure washing your patio or filling ponds, paddling pools and hot tubs. That’s because, according to Thames Water, “Running a hose, whether into the garden or paddling pool, uses up to 500 litres per 30 minutes of use.”

We’ll explain exactly who is affected, and the rules you’ll need to follow until any ban is lifted.

We reached out to all the main water suppliers to see whether a ban is already in place or will officially come into force. Use this table to see if your region is affected.

*Information correct as of Saturday August 5th, 2023.

Live in Devon or Cornwall? Visit South West Water and enter your postcode to see if there are any restrictions.

Thankfully, most water companies don’t have bans in place. For example, Northumbrian Water says: “We have no plans in place to implement any drought measures such as hosepipe bans, but it is good practice for everyone to use water wisely.”

Similarly, Anglian water states: “There is currently no hosepipe ban in the Anglian Water region. Any notification of a hosepipe ban in our region would be shown on our In Your Area page.”

Paul Saynor, head of water resources and supply strategy at Wessex Water, says: “Groundwater and reservoir levels are lower than average at the moment, but we are not near the record low levels of 1976, which was the last time Wessex Water had a hosepipe ban.”

The rules may vary slightly from authority to authority, but most water companies have similar restrictions.

Under the South West Water ban, you can’t use a hosepipe (including sprinklers, dipper hoses, automatic irrigation systems and other similar devices) for the following activities.

It is important to note, however, that you can continue to use a watering can (or bucket and sponge) to carry out any and all of the below, and that there are exceptions.

1. Watering a garden or allotment – however, there are exceptions, see below.
2. Cleaning a private motor-vehicle or taxi
3. Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises
4. Cleaning a private leisure boat (unless for health and safety reasons, see below)
5. Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
6. Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use – for example, filling a hot tub
7. Filling or maintaining a domestic pond, unless it has fish in it
8. Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain, unless its purpose is to keep fish healthy or for religious purposes (see below)
9. Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises
10. Cleaning paths or patios
11. Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces

The rules above will vary by water company, but South West Water currently lists exceptions where a hosepipe can be used:

South West Water exceptions

1. Watering food crops at domestic premises or private allotments using a hosepipe. This exception is purely for plants grown for food, and does not include other plants and flowers
2. Watering newly laid turf using a hosepipe for the first 28 days
3. Watering newly bought plants for the first 14 days
4. Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain/pool to operate for religious purposes
5. Watering plants that are (1) grown or kept for sale or commercial use, or (2) that are part of a National Plant Collection or temporary garden or flower display
6. Using a hosepipe to water a garden or enclosed private leisure boat for health or safety reasons, and where this includes (a) removing or minimising any risk to human or animal health or safety; and (b) preventing or controlling the spread of causative agents of disease
7. Filling or maintaining a pool under certain circumstances. For a full list, visit South West Water’s website

To combat the ban, try some of these ways to save water in the garden so that you can protect your plants and keep things green and gorgeous.