South East Water has announced that 2.4 million additional customers will be subject to a hosepipe ban starting Saturday, as the region continues to grapple with the aftermath of persistent heatwaves and a historic lack of rainfall. The temporary restrictions will affect households in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire, expanding a ban already in place for Kent.
Immediate Call for Water Conservation
The water company is urging customers to cease using hosepipes immediately for watering gardens, washing cars, cleaning patios, boats, or filling swimming pools. Douglas Whitfield, water supply director at South East Water, stated: 'Our absolute priority has to be making sure there is always enough water for everyone’s essential daily needs: drinking, cooking and hygiene. To safeguard our shared resource and help prevent any homes from facing a sudden loss of water, we sadly need to ask our communities not to use their hosepipes immediately.'
Record Dry Spell
The expansion comes as the Met Office reports that central and south-east England have experienced the longest unbroken period of no recorded rainfall this century. From July 2 to July 15, an average of zero rainfall was measured across weather stations in both regions for 14 consecutive days. This is the longest dry spell for south-east England since 15 days in April 1997, and for central England since a 14-day run in June 1996. Data for July 16 may extend these records further.
Reservoir Levels Below Average
The Environment Agency's weekly dry weather and drought report, released Friday, indicates that reservoir storage levels in England are currently at 79%, approximately five percentage points below the long-term average for this time of year. Six reservoirs are classified as 'notably low,' including Wimbleball in Somerset, Grafham in Cambridgeshire, and Hanningfield in Essex. Blagdon reservoir in Somerset is rated 'exceptionally low.'
Heatwave Frequency
In 2026, the UK has already recorded 28 days where temperatures exceeded 30°C—seven in May, eight in June, and 13 in July. The record for the most 30°C-plus days in a calendar year is 34, set in 1995.
Areas Affected
The full list of areas now under hosepipe bans includes Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, parts of north and west London, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Kent, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight.
