Millions of households across the UK are now subject to hosepipe bans as a third heatwave intensifies, with temperatures in London reaching 34°C on Thursday and the Met Office forecasting daily highs of at least 29°C until the end of next week. The prolonged dry spell has heightened concerns over drought conditions, with no significant rainfall expected until late next week. Water companies are closely monitoring supplies and implementing restrictions as necessary.
Affinity Water Imposes Ban on Parts of London
Thames Water has not yet issued a hosepipe ban for the capital, but Affinity Water, which covers the boroughs of Harrow, Hillingdon, Barnet, Brent, and Ealing, has announced a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), effective from 00:01 on Friday 17 July until further notice. A spokesperson for Affinity Water stated: “We’re introducing a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), also known as a hosepipe ban, across our Central region from 00:01 on Friday 17 July until further notice. Demand for water is much higher than we'd normally expect, and supplies are under real pressure. Last month was the warmest June on record for England, with temperatures reaching as high as 37.7°C, and we've seen a continued pattern of hot, dry weather since. We plan carefully for hot weather using years of data, but this year demand is around 20% higher than we'd normally expect. We're also currently receiving less water than usual from Grafham Water reservoir, which would usually provide around 10% of our Central region's supply. The ban applies to customers in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London.”
Other Water Companies Follow Suit
South East Water was the first to announce a ban on July 3, affecting customers in the Kent region, including Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, and Canterbury. Cambridge Water also issued a temporary ban for the first time in 30 years for parts of Cambridgeshire. Southern Water has announced restrictions for 24 towns across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, while Anglian Water introduced its first hosepipe ban in a decade on Friday morning, affecting parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Essex.
Thames Water Urges Voluntary Cuts
Although Thames Water has not imposed an official ban, the company has urged customers to avoid using hosepipes or sprinklers during heatwaves. The Standard’s interactive map illustrates where hosepipe bans are currently in place. Under temporary bans, households cannot use hosepipes for non-essential tasks such as watering gardens, filling paddling pools, or washing cars. However, hosepipes may be used for the welfare of animals and pets. Violators could face fines of up to £1,000.
