A hosepipe ban is being enforced for one million people across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight starting July 10, 2026. This marks the second consecutive year Southern Water has implemented such restrictions. The company urged customers to stop using hosepipes immediately to avoid further strain on the water network. The ban is expected to remain in place until autumn unless significant and sustained rainfall occurs.
Previous Restrictions and Record Heat
A similar ban for South East Water customers is already active in Kent. The announcement follows a record-breaking heatwave that saw UK temperatures soar to 37°C, depleting water supplies. The River Test, a primary water source for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, has reached critically low levels. Tania Flasck, director of water operations, told the BBC: “In June, we’ve actually seen a third of the flow and so the models have just not necessarily predicted that. When we’ve actually measured the levels we’ve seen it’s dropped down a lot, a lot further and faster than we’ve anticipated.”
Impact of the Heatwave
Temperature records were broken on three consecutive days last week, causing travel disruptions on railways and at Heathrow and Gatwick airports as the heatwave affected western Europe. The 37°C conditions were particularly severe in cities like London and Paris, where concrete, narrow streets, and poorly insulated homes turned into heat traps. Over 1,300 excess deaths were linked to the hot spell across Europe, and at least seven people drowned in UK open waters.
Forecast and Further Risks
While current temperatures remain below 25°C even in London and the South East, another warm weather front is expected to hit the UK over the weekend and into next week. Northern England and Scotland may see patches of rain, but the southern areas most in need of rainfall will remain dry, increasing the risk of drought and potential extension of the hosepipe ban. MJim Dale, founder of British Weather Services, told Metro that the ongoing dry conditions could lead to the Kent ban being expanded.
