The Exact Regions Affected by the Hosepipe Ban

After a record-breaking hot, dry summer, many regions of the UK are now subject to hosepipe bans with several major water suppliers such as Southeast Water and Thames Water announcing bans in a bid to conserve water.

Where Will Be Affected?

Several southeast water regions are affected by the bans including Greater London, The Thames Valley, Surrey, Kent, and Sussex. Many of these areas across the southeast water line are popular holiday destinations, such as Brighton and Chichester, and are reachable via public transport.

Welsh Water also announced a temporary hosepipe ban in Pembrokeshire and parts of Carmarthenshire, which came into effect on August 19th.

Why is the Hosepipe Ban Happening?

According to provisional data from the Met Office, July was the driest on record for parts of the UK, including East Anglia and the southeast, and the driest July in England since 1935.

During July, England had 23.1mm of rainfall, which is just 35% of its average rainfall for the month, and the southeast of England was particularly dry, receiving just 10.5mm of rainfall, a mere 17% of the usual average for July.

During the summer, water companies have issued pleas and warnings, advising their customers that water levels in reservoirs are running low and encouraging people to think carefully about how and when they use water. In some parts of the country, lower than normal water levels in reservoirs have even led to the exposure of ruins not normally seen.

However, despite interim measures, many suppliers have now been forced to introduce formal restrictions, in the form of official hosepipe bans, in order to conserve water and maintain supply.

Where Else is the Hosepipe Ban Being Issued?

It isn’t just the southeast of England and parts of Wales that will be affected by the recent hosepipe bans, several other areas of the UK have seen hosepipe bans come into effect or will do so in the coming days and weeks.

Here are some of the other areas currently affected.

• The Isle of Man
• The Isle of Wight
• Hampshire
• Gloucester
• North Wiltshire
• Cornwall
• Northwest Devon
• Yorkshire

Bristol water announced that despite the rainfall being below average for the year so far, they do not expect to have to impose a hosepipe ban during 2022. Bristol Water will continue its dry weather management plan and look into other options to help with recovery.

What Does the Hosepipe Ban Mean?

As its name suggests, a hosepipe ban is a ban on using a hosepipe and if a ban is in effect in your area, you can’t legally use a hosepipe to do things such as wash your car, water your garden or fill up a paddling pool.

The use of sprinklers and pressure washers are also banned during this time. Hosepipe bans are designed to prevent water waste to conserve supplies of water for essential purposes, like drinking, cooking, and washing. If you are found to break the rules when a hosepipe ban is in place, you could be fined up to £1,000 under the 1991 Water Industry Act.