Thames Water has become the latest company to ban hosepipes, impacting more than 10 million people. Several water companies, including Anglian Water, Affinity Water, Southern Water and Cambridge Water, have also imposed restrictions known as temporary use bans. The ban came into force at midnight on Thursday and prohibits washing cars, watering plants, and filling paddling pools. Thames Water said it had introduced the ban following “prolonged dry weather and heatwaves”, higher than normal demand for water and a lack of forecasted rain.
How is the hosepipe ban enforced?
A temporary use ban means no watering plants, no sprinklers on the lawn, no washing cars, and no filling up paddling pools. Anyone found using a hosepipe could be fined up to £1,000. The ban relies on members of the public to report prohibited use, with most enforcement sparked by neighbours. Water companies occasionally conduct random spot-checks in high-risk areas, and water meter data can flag unusually high spikes of domestic water use.
Who to report hosepipe use to?
Thames Water urges customers not to phone the police but has also said the public does not need to contact them about neighbours using hosepipes. A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We hope our customers will continue to use water wisely, as they have done already this summer, and we’re really grateful for everyone’s help. While we’re not asking customers to contact us about how their neighbours are using water, including hose use, we may get in touch with customers who repeatedly don’t follow the rules. This is just to make sure they’re aware of the restrictions and how to use water responsibly. We are not asking anyone to call 999 or 101 if they see someone using a hosepipe. We would never knock on a customer’s door and ask them to pay a fine."
Who does the hosepipe ban apply to?
The hosepipe ban affects all customers who receive water bills from Thames Water. The same applies for other water companies, such as Southern Water, Anglian Water, and Affinity Water. Everything from watering gardens to filling pools to maintaining foundations and cleaning patios is prohibited. However, watering plants with watering cans or using mains water from a bucket is permitted. Water not sourced from mains pipes, such as rainwater from a water butt, can also be used. Exceptions include decontaminating animals, maintaining livestock, and for blue badge holders or disabled individuals.
What are the penalties?
Flouting restrictions is a criminal offence under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991. You can be fined £1,000 and receive a criminal record for breaching rules.
Has anyone been penalised for breaching a hosepipe ban?
It is not clear whether anybody has actually been fined for using their hosepipe. Four water firms were asked by the BBC whether they had issued fines for breaches. Only Yorkshire Water responded, saying it has never issued a single fine and would prefer not to do so. Thames Water, South East Water and Southern Water did not clarify if they had issued fines, but told the same publication that enforcement would be the final option.
