Thames Water has announced a hosepipe ban affecting millions of customers, set to take effect at 00:01 on Thursday. The restriction, formally known as a temporary use ban (TUB), comes after an exceptionally dry period and high water demand.
Immediate Compliance Requested
The utility is urging households to follow the ban immediately, ahead of its official start date. Under the ban, customers must not use hosepipes for non-essential activities such as watering gardens, cleaning cars, filling paddling pools, or topping up hot tubs.
Water Usage Above Normal
Thames Water reported that water use is currently 10% above normal in the Thames Valley and Home Counties, and 7% above normal in London. This surge in demand coincides with ongoing hot temperatures following three unprecedented heatwaves in three months and the driest spring on record for England and Wales.
Protecting Supplies
Nevil Muncaster, director of strategic water resources at Thames Water, said: “We would not be taking this step unless it was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment. While there is enough water for essential use, we need to reduce non-essential outdoor demand to keep taps flowing.”
He added that many customers have already reduced their water use, and thanked them for their support. Thames Water teams are working around the clock to maintain water flow, fix leaks, and assist customers. Muncaster stated, “We will keep the situation under close review and lift restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Scope of the Ban
The ban applies to customers supplied with drinking water by Thames Water. It does not apply to waste-only customers or those supplied by other water companies.
