Millions of UK water customers have been banned from using hosepipes over the coming days and weeks as the third heatwave of the year causes drought fears to grow.
The heat continues to break records, with the country recording its eighth day at or above 34C in a single calendar year, breaking the high of seven days seen in 1976 and 2020.
June 2026 was also the hottest on record for England, the Met Office confirmed, with the highest temperature of 37.7C set in Lingwood, Norfolk, on 26 June. The previous record of 35.6C was set in Southampton in June 1976.
UK officials recently warned that the risk of drought conditions in some parts of the country is becoming increasingly likely, with authorities keeping a close watch on East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall, and water companies scrambling to manage increasingly tight resources.
Anglian Water, which serves most of the East of England, brought in a ban on Saturday 11 July. The company has more than 5 million customers in the region, making it the UK’s largest.
Affinity Water has also introduced a hosepipe ban for most of its customers, which began Friday 10 July. It covers large areas of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey.
London and Essex, which are served by a number of different water companies, are also affected in some areas. Customers can check with their drinking water provider for exact details.
Dr Geoff Darch, head of strategic asset planning for Anglian Water, said: “This year has been exceptionally hot and dry, and we’re already into the third heatwave of the summer.
“Every day of sustained hot weather increases the challenge of balancing supply and demand, and we are now at the point where we need to ask customers to help by hanging up the hosepipe, letting lawns go brown, cars go dirty and using water even more wisely to help protect the environment and ensure water remains available for all customers.”
It comes after South East Water introduced an official temporary hosepipe use ban covering much of the Kent region that began on Friday 3 July. It came just a week after it put one in place in the county during June’s heatwave.
Southern Water has also confirmed that a hosepipe ban will be put in place for its customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight from Friday 10 July.
Cambridge Water announced a temporary hosepipe ban for its 350,000 customers, marking the first time in three decades that it has introduced the restriction.
Households across the country have been advised to limit their use, with some companies asking customers to pause hosepipe activity where possible, short of a full-on ban.
A hosepipe ban is different to an advisory notice. Anyone caught breaching an official ban can be issued a fine of up to £1,000.
Others have asked customers to limit their use during the heat spikes.
Thames Water, which serves Greater London, advises: “At times, we're using water faster than we can deliver it through our network.
“Reducing your use at home, especially outdoors, will make the biggest difference. So we're asking customers not to use hosepipes or sprinklers during heatwaves.”
While the heat this week has been less severe than June’s heatwave, it will still present health risks and challenges for water firms which are still recovering from the event.
All households have been urged to limit their water usage during the heatwaves. National Drought Group chair and director of water at the Environment Agency, Helen Wakeham, said in June: “We enter summer in a generally favourable position, but we can never be complacent ahead of those crucial drier months.
“Heatwaves will continue to be a concern as they can drive spikes in water demand, so we need to continue to work collaboratively to use our finite water wisely.
“While many of us enjoy the hot weather, we ask everyone to be mindful of their water use. Every drop saved leaves more available for farmers, our local rivers and wildlife.”
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