Thames Water announced hosepipe bans by Thames Water on Tuesday, with the restriction taking effect on Thursday for customers in its area after prolonged hot weather and reduced rainfall. The company said water use was 10% above normal in the Thames Valley and the home counties and 7% above normal in London.
That leaves people who rely on outdoor watering with a narrow set of legal options. A watering can from a tap is still allowed, along with recycled bath water, washing-up water or rainwater collected from a water butt. Using a hose for gardens, paddling pools, hot tubs, swimming pools, ponds, fountains, cars, patios or windows is prohibited.
Thames Water and the Act
The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 gives water companies the legal authority to impose hosepipe bans on domestic and non-commercial customers during water shortages. Breaching the restriction is a criminal offence and can lead to a fine of up to £1,000. Fresh turf can still be watered with a hose for up to 28 days, and hoses may be used for trees, hedges and saplings planted in the previous planting season and for plants for up to 14 days after buying them.
South East Water said it would extend its hosepipe ban this weekend to include all of its 2.4 million customers. More than 20 million households are facing hosepipe bans across large parts of southern England and south-east England and parts of Wales, putting the Thames Water action into a wider pattern of restrictions.
Environment Agency on Tuesday
The Environment Agency said on Tuesday that eight areas across England are in prolonged dry weather, the stage before drought. No areas are in drought now, but the conditions listed by the agency point to a supply picture that is already tight enough for restrictions to spread.
The Met Office said June 2026 was the hottest on record for England, with 37.7C recorded in Lingwood, Norfolk, on 26 June. The country also beat the 1976 record for days above 30C in July, and just 3% of the long-term average rainfall fell over England in July, with rainfall ranging from 0% in east and south-east England to 9% in the north-west.
Thames Valley and London
For customers in Thames Water’s area, Thursday is the point when ordinary garden and outdoor use starts to turn into restricted use. The company’s own figures show the pressure is not evenly spread: the Thames Valley and the home counties were running 10% above normal, while London was 7% above normal. The immediate practical test for households is whether a task can be done without a hose, and if it can, it stays outside the ban.
