Hosepipe bans
may continue to be effective across certain areas of the UK throughout the autumn due to declining water reserves.

Water suppliers stated that although heavy rainfall is expected in the coming days, the Temporary Usage Restrictions (TUR) will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

Four utility billing agreements are currently active among water providers: Thames Water, Southern Water, South East Water and
Yorkshire Water.

Thames Water told
The i Paper
The National Drought Group has classified the present water conditions in England as a “major national event.”

Southeast Water has stated that its reservoir levels “are still decreasing” following an extended period of high temperatures, including four instances of extreme heat.

A water company, which implemented a TUB from 18 July across sections of Kent, East and West Sussex impacting approximately 1.4 million households, reported that one of its reservoirs located in West Sussex has fallen to its lowest point in over 12 months and is currently below halfway capacity.

Nick Price, Director of Water Resources for South East Water, stated: “Although usage has decreased and we’ve significantly increased our efforts to fix leaks, the amounts stored in our surface water reservoirs across Sussex keep declining because of the minimal rain received during the last five months.”

Ardlying Reservoir has reached its lowest level in more than 12 months, with only 44 percent of capacity remaining—a situation typically observed later in the year.

As warmer temperatures are expected ahead, we urge our customers to limit household water usage to necessities such as drinking, cleaning, and meal preparation.

Thames Water imposed a garden hose restriction on 22 July
In areas including Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire, impacting approximately 1.1 million customers, officials also mentioned that any choice regarding easing restrictions would rely on weather conditions, necessitating “extended and substantial rain,” with the chance that measures could remain active into the fall.

Although rain is predicted for the next week as the leftover effects of Hurricane Erin move towards the UK, it is unlikely to significantly alter the current conditions.

Jake Morley, the local outreach officer for Thames Water, stated
The i Paper
We will remain informed about the restrictions and their anticipated conclusion.”
“We’ll stay informed regarding the restriction and its expected termination.”
“We shall maintain awareness of the prohibition and its projected ending.”
“We intend to inform our clients about the ban and its likely duration.”
“We plan to update our patrons concerning the regulation and when it might conclude.
.

We’re closely monitoring weather predictions and consumer needs as we progress through the summer, and according to the present conditions, we do not expect to remove the restriction in the near future.

We have no plans to remove the limitations this month, and we will inform everyone once we are ready to begin easing them.

Following four heatwaves during the summer and warm, dry conditions this month, he stated that the restriction measures were “very crucial” because using less water means less needs to be drawn from nearby rivers.

He mentioned that the chance of hosepipe restrictions lasting into the fall “remains possible due to the dry outlook.”

“This will vary depending on the weather — however, the assistance of our customers in utilizing water efficiently will also play a crucial role,” he added.

Southern Water stated it was “too early” to discuss removing its TUB, which was implemented on 21 July and impacted approximately one million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

It mentioned that the length of the restriction would be influenced by the weather, which is uncertain.

The circumstances were under strict observation, yet with the area remaining “in the midst of an extended period without rain,” discussions about removing controls came too soon.

It mentioned that clients and interested parties would be notified if circumstances were to change.

Both United Utilities and Severn Trent Water, serving regions impacted by dry conditions, have stated
The i Paper
They do not intend to implement a garden hose restriction at this time.

The arrival of TUBs indicates that families can now no longer:

• Irrigate the garden or indoor plants
• Maintain personal cars or watercraft clean
  Keep individual automobiles or vessels tidy
  Ensure private motor vehicles or boats are cleaned
  Tidy up personal cars or boats
  Preserve cleanliness of own vehicles or boats
  Regularly clean one’s own car or boat
  Keep your automobile or vessel in a clean state
  Make sure personal transportation units are clean
  Sustain the hygiene of private vehicles or boats
  Maintain the appearance of personal cars or watercraft
• Keep filled or ensure the water level of a residential swimming pool, wading pool, spa, or chilled water immersion pool is maintained
• Keep or establish a backyard pond or decorative water feature
• Sweep dust from your house’s walls or glass surfaces
• Clear walkways, terraces, or synthetic exterior areas

Residents may continue with these tasks provided they use water obtained from a bucket or a hand-held watering container, and hoses may be utilized as long as the water does not come from the main supply.

The National Drought Committee has announced
five regions across the UK set to face official drought conditions this summer:
North Yorkshire, Cumbria, and Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire, the East Midlands, and the West Midlands.

Regions experiencing extended periods of dry weather (the stage preceding a drought) include: the Northeast, Lincolnshire, and Northamptonshire, East Anglia, the Thames area, Wessex, Solent, and the South Downs.

Certain regions in southern England are currently subject to garden hose restrictions.

A group focused on addressing the drought crisis, comprising the Met Office, government officials, regulatory bodies, water utilities, the National Farmers’ Union, Canal & River Trust, fishermen, and environmental specialists, convened early this month to address the ongoing water shortage in England, officially categorized as a “national emergency.”

Water storage facilities are currently operating at an average of 67.7 percent capacity throughout England, as reported by the organization, with the smallest amounts found in the following reservoirs: Blithfield, located in Staffordshire (49.1 percent), Derwent Valley in Derbyshire (47.2 percent), Chew Valley Lake in Somerset (48.3 percent), and Blagdon in Somerset (46.3 percent).

In July, precipitation in England reached 89 percent of the typical monthly amount, marking the sixth straight month with less than normal rain.

It comes after the
Met Office
reported that Spring 2025 set new historic weather records as the highest average temperature ever recorded since 1884 across all four countries in the UK, with England facing its drier spring in over a century.

Initial data from the Met Office this month suggests that summer 2025 might also rank among the hottest ever recorded.

The United Kingdom’s average temperature between June 1st and August 17th is now recorded as 16.2°C, representing an increase of 1.6°C compared to the traditional weather-based norm.