Key facts
- Thames Water has imposed a hosepipe ban on 10.1 million customers.
- The ban prohibits using hosepipes for watering gardens, cleaning cars, or filling pools.
- Thames Water cited 40% of average rainfall and record-breaking high temperatures.
- Water use is 10% above normal in the Thames Valley and Home Counties.
- Similar bans are in place from Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, South East Water, and Southern Water.
- Irish Water has extended its nationwide ban until August 31.
Millions more people in the UK are now subject to hosepipe bans as water companies grapple with declining river levels and increasingly likely drought conditions amid a prolonged heatwave. Thames Water announced on Wednesday that its over 10 million customers across parts of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent, Surrey, the Thames Valley, Greater London, and surrounding areas would be banned from using hosepipes for watering gardens, washing cars, or filling pools starting Thursday.
Thames Water stated its region had seen 40% of average rainfall and more days at or above 34C this year than ever recorded. Water use is currently 10% above normal in the Thames Valley and Home Counties and 7% above normal in London, amounting to an extra 100 million litres of water daily. Nevil Muncaster, director of strategic water resources, said the step was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment.
Anglian Water announced on Friday that its more than five million customers in the East of England would be banned from using hosepipes starting Saturday. Cambridge Water also introduced a temporary ban for its 350,000 customers, marking the first time in three decades the company has implemented such a restriction. South East Water had previously introduced restrictions for areas of Kent, and Southern Water is set to implement similar measures for about one million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
In Ireland, Irish Water has extended a nationwide hosepipe ban until August 31 due to critically low water supply levels. The utility revealed that over 300 people have been reported for breaching the ban since early July. Nighttime water restrictions in the greater Dublin region are also to remain in place for another fortnight. Despite heavy rainfall forecasts, officials state that short bursts of rain will not be sufficient to address low reservoir, river, and lake levels, with two to four weeks of sustained rainfall needed.
The UK has also recorded its eighth day at or above 34C this year, breaking the previous record of seven days set in 1976 and 2020. Officials are closely monitoring regions like East Anglia, Devon, and Cornwall for potential drought conditions.