UK water firms impose hosepipe bans amid record‑breaking heatwave

During the third heatwave of summer 2026, the United Kingdom experienced record temperatures, with several days above 34 °C and a high of 35.2 °C in Derbyshire. Heat‑health alerts were extended by the UK Health Security Agency, warning of increased risk of illness and death among vulnerable groups.

In response, multiple water companies introduced temporary hose‑pipe usage bans to curb water demand. Anglian Water, serving more than five million customers in the East of England, announced the nation’s largest ban on 11 July. South East Water imposed a ban in Kent from 3 July, while Cambridge Water placed a restriction on 350,000 customers—the first in three decades. Southern Water banned hose‑pipe use for roughly one million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and Cambridge Water, Anglian Water, and other regional suppliers followed suit. Fines for breaching the bans can reach £1,000.

The bans aim to protect water supplies as reservoirs fall 15‑30 % below normal levels and daily water consumption spikes by about 20 % above typical summer demand. Officials emphasise that limiting non‑essential outdoor water use—such as garden watering, car washing and filling pools—will help keep taps flowing throughout the prolonged dry spell.