Thames Water has announced a hosepipe ban set to affect 10.1 million customers from Thursday, 24th July 2026. The significant restriction follows an "exceptionally warm and dry spring" and a summer marked by sustained high demand for water. The company, which supplies drinking water across parts of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Surrey, the Thames Valley, Greater London, and surrounding areas, stated that its region has experienced only 40% of average rainfall this year. Furthermore, the number of days reaching or exceeding 34C has surpassed all previous records.
Nevil Muncaster, Director of Strategic Water Resources at Thames Water, emphasised the necessity of the measure, stating, "We would not be taking this step unless it was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment." The ban prohibits the use of hosepipes for various non-essential activities, including watering gardens or allotments, cleaning vehicles, filling paddling pools or swimming pools, and cleaning windows. However, customers can still use buckets and watering cans for these tasks, and exemptions are in place for health and safety reasons, animal welfare, watering food crops, and individuals with severe mobility problems.
The water company highlighted that current water usage is approximately 10% above normal in the Thames Valley and Home Counties, and 7% above normal in London. This translates to an additional 100 million litres of water being used daily. The recent heatwaves have meant that during peak periods, water is being consumed faster than it can be treated and distributed through the network, putting considerable strain on local supplies. Thames Water teams are reportedly working around the clock to manage water movement, fix leaks, and support customers, with the situation under constant review to lift restrictions when safe.
This move by Thames Water is not isolated, as several other water companies across the UK have already implemented or are extending similar restrictions. South East Water is extending its ban to parts of Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, and Berkshire from Saturday, 26th July 2026. Southern Water’s ban affects approximately one million customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, while South West Water has restrictions in place for Mid Devon, other parts of the county, and Lyme Regis in Dorset. Welsh Water introduced a ban affecting 33,000 properties in west Wales last weekend, and Cambridge Water, Anglian Water, and Affinity Water have all imposed "temporary use bans" across much of the East of England. The UK's summer has seen numerous records broken, drawing comparisons to the severe drought of 1976.
The announcement comes amidst broader financial challenges for Thames Water, which is currently facing approximately £20 billion in debt. A recent rescue proposal was rejected by the government, and reports suggest the company's main lenders are preparing for a potential legal challenge should the new Andy Burnham-led government move to bring the firm into public ownership. This complex backdrop adds another layer of scrutiny to the operational decisions being made by the water provider during a period of critical environmental stress.