Yes, temporary hosepipe restrictions are currently reported in parts of ten English water-company areas. The Environment Agency’s latest available drought report, updated 25 September 2026 and covering 18–24 September, lists restrictions in all or part of Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Bristol Water, Cambridge Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, Southern Water, South East Water, South West Water, Thames Water and Wessex Water areas. This is a dated national snapshot, not a postcode-level answer. Check your supplier’s current notice before using a hosepipe.
How to check whether your address is affected
- Identify your water supplier. Check a recent water bill. If you cannot find one, use Water UK’s supplier-finder with your postcode.
- Open the supplier’s current restriction notice. Check the precise coverage, start date, prohibited activities, exemptions and permitted alternatives. Do not rely on a county or town name: supply boundaries and ban boundaries can differ.
- Ask the supplier if the position is unclear. Properties near a boundary, newly occupied homes and addresses covered by a regional exception should be confirmed using the contact details on the supplier’s own website.
Use the supplier’s notice as the practical answer for your property. Restrictions can start, expand or end after a national situation report is published.
What the latest England-wide report says
The Environment Agency report updated 25 September 2026 says temporary use bans (TUBs)—the formal term commonly called a hosepipe ban—were in force in all or part of these areas during 18–24 September:
| Water company | Coverage qualification in the report |
|---|---|
| Affinity Water | Central and East regions |
| Anglian Water | Area covered, excluding Hartlepool |
| Bristol Water | Restriction reported across its supply area |
| Cambridge Water | Area covered as stated by the company and report |
| Essex and Suffolk Water | Area covered as stated by the company and report |
| Southern Water | Hampshire and the Isle of Wight |
| South East Water | Area covered as stated by the company and report |
| South West Water | Area covered, excluding Bournemouth |
| Thames Water | Area covered as stated by the company and report |
| Wessex Water | Area covered as stated by the company and report |
The report estimates that approximately 30 million people had water-use restrictions during that reporting period. That figure is approximate, dated and not a live count of hosepipe-ban addresses.
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The snapshot applies to England. It does not establish the current position in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; residents there should use their own supplier’s latest notice.
What “hosepipe ban” means
In England, a water company can impose a temporary use ban (TUB) under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, as amended by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. The company must publish notice and allow a period for representations before the restriction takes effect.
A TUB prohibits specified non-essential uses of water. It does not stop ordinary essential use such as drinking, cooking, washing or flushing toilets. Bristol Water, for example, says those essential uses continue normally during its restriction.
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Activities commonly restricted
The exact wording comes from the notice for your supplier. Commonly restricted uses include:
- Watering gardens, lawns or plants with a hosepipe or sprinkler
- Washing private cars and other vehicles
- Filling or topping up paddling pools, swimming pools and hot tubs
- Cleaning patios, paths, decking, walls, windows and other outdoor surfaces
- Filling domestic ponds or ornamental fountains
- Using pressure washers or other hose-connected equipment for non-essential cleaning
For example, Essex and Suffolk Water lists vehicle washing, pools, hot tubs, domestic ponds, ornamental fountains and outdoor-surface cleaning. Thames Water includes hosepipes, sprinklers and pressure washers used for non-essential activities. Those examples show why a generic list cannot replace your local notice.
What you can usually use instead
- Watering cans and buckets: Water UK and several suppliers identify them as generally permitted alternatives.
- Stored rainwater: Thames Water permits water collected in a water butt under its restriction. Other suppliers may set different conditions.
- Reused household water: Some supplier guidance permits suitable reused water for particular tasks.
These alternatives are not a universal exemption. Follow the wording of your supplier’s notice, especially for stored or reused water and any connected irrigation equipment.
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Exemptions and special cases
Supplier notices may provide exceptions for:
- Health, safety, disability or medical needs
- Animal welfare
- Food production
- Some business activities
- Specified irrigation systems or newly laid turf
Eligibility, evidence requirements and the activities covered vary by company. Do not assume that an exemption in one water area applies elsewhere; read the local conditions or ask the supplier first.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a nearby town is not enough
Water-company supply areas do not follow every county or local-authority boundary. A restriction may cover one company’s customers but not a neighbouring supplier’s, or may apply only to a sub-region. The latest report illustrates this with Affinity Water’s Central and East regions, Southern Water’s Hampshire and Isle of Wight coverage, Anglian Water’s Hartlepool exclusion and South West Water’s Bournemouth exclusion.
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If your postcode sits close to a boundary, verify the address directly rather than inferring the answer from a neighbour’s notice or a social-media post.
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When the restriction started—and when it may end
Start and end dates are supplier-specific. Bristol Water’s notice says its restriction began across its supply area at 00:01 on 27 August 2026. That date does not establish when another company’s restriction started or when any ban will be lifted. Check the latest notice for an announced review or end date, and recheck before using restricted equipment.
A quick decision checklist
- Have you identified the supplier serving the exact property?
- Is the supplier’s notice currently active, and what is its effective date?
- Does it cover your precise region, postcode or supply area?
- Is the planned activity listed as prohibited?
- Does a stated exemption apply to your circumstances?
- Does the notice explicitly allow your proposed alternative, such as a watering can or stored rainwater?
If any answer is uncertain, contact the supplier before proceeding.
The Bottom Line
For England, the latest report available on 25 September 2026 recorded temporary use bans in parts of ten water-company areas. Because coverage and exceptions can vary within a supplier’s footprint, identify your supplier and read its current restriction notice for your exact address.
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