UK hosepipe ban tracker
Every temporary use ban in force across England right now — checked against water company announcements and the Environment Agency's weekly reports.
Source data 29 October 2026 · last checked 4 November 2026, 18:20 · Environment Agency weekly report and water company announcements
| Water company | Area affected | In force from | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| South East Water | Whole company area | 3 Jul | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Southern Water | Hampshire and the Isle of Wight | 10 Jul | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Anglian Water | Whole company area, excluding Hartlepool | 11 Jul | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Affinity Water | Central and east regions, covering Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and parts of London and Essex | 17 Jul | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Cambridge Water | Whole company area | 17 Jul | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Thames Water | Whole company area | 23 Jul | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Essex & Suffolk Water | Whole company area | 3 Aug | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| South West Water | Whole company area, excluding Bournemouth | 8 Aug | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Wessex Water | Whole company area | 18 Aug | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
| Bristol Water | Whole company area | 27 Aug | In force · confirmed 29 Oct 2026 |
Billed by a smaller water company? The Environment Agency lists 8 new appointees (Leaf Water, Albion Water, Leep Water, Independent Water Networks ( IWN ), Last Mile Water, MUA, ESP, Matrix) that supply some homes inside these areas. Their customers have the same ban as the main company for that area.
South East Water customers in Sussex: from 9 October 2026 the company has removed its earlier exemptions in Sussex, so the restricted hosepipe uses are allowed only where health, safety or welfare requires it. Customers in Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire keep the exemptions that applied before. The company has also applied for a ban on non-essential water use by businesses and other non-household users, which needs the Environment Secretary’s approval (South East Water, checked 9 October 2026).
Source: Environment Agency weekly drought report (Section 2 TUB list, cross-checked against Section 5), plus Welsh company announcements — week of 23 to 29 October 2026. Always confirm with your own water company before assuming a ban does or doesn't apply. Not sure which company supplies you? Find your water company by postcode.
Common questions
Will I get money off my water bill during a hosepipe ban?
No. Southern Water's code of practice, for example, says it doesn't offer rebates during a temporary use ban “as we don't charge customers for using a hosepipe”. Payments only come in if restrictions go much further. If an emergency drought order interrupts or cuts off essential household water (for cooking, washing, drinking and flushing the toilet), water companies in England and Wales are required by their licences to pay household customers £10 for each day or part day, up to the company's average household bill for the previous year. That doesn't cover watering the garden, washing the car or filling a pool, and nothing is owed if Ofwat judges the circumstances so exceptional that the company couldn't reasonably have avoided the interruption.
Can I get free water-saving devices from my water company?
Often, yes. The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) says most water companies offer free water-saving devices, such as strips that show a leaking toilet, shower timers and water-efficient shower heads. Ring your company and ask, or use the Get Water Fit tool on CCW's website (run by Save Water Save Money), which asks for your postcode and a few questions and shows where you could save. If you're on a water meter, using less water also cuts your bill.
Sources: Southern Water, Code of Practice for household customers (October 2025) · CCW, Get Water Fit (tool run by Save Water Save Money) · CCW, Tips to cut your water bill. What a ban does and doesn’t allow: hosepipe ban rules.
| Fri 30 Oct | 10 | |
| Fri 23 Oct | 10 | |
| Sun 18 Oct | 10 | |
| Fri 9 Oct | 10 | |
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| Fri 18 Sept | 10 |
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| Sat 18 Jul | 5 |
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