Are You Under A Hosepipe Ban? Here's Where's Been Hit, Who's Exempt, And When Rules Begin

HosepipeYorkshire Water was the first body to announce a hosepipe ban this year, with an expected five million-plus people affected. That went into place on Friday, 11 July 2025. But since then, multiple regions have put in their own hosepipe bans, which can come with a £1,000 fine under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 if broken. Here, we’ll share when upcoming bans will start as well as when existing ones began, where they’ll be, and how to water your garden in the meantime.What are the rules of a hosepipe ban?It’s pretty much what it sounds; you can’t run water from your mains through a hosepipe for anything like filling a swimming pool, washing a car, or watering your garden.You can’t use anything that does the job of a hosepipe to do this either. You could face a £1000 fine if you do.Another name for a hosepipe ban is a temporary usage ban (TUB).They’re put into place because, as the Tameside Metropolitan Borough explained, “the average hosepipe uses 170 litres of water for every 10 minutes that it is turned on”.Four areas of the UK are now officially in drought, which is why regions are keen to preserve what water they have for drinking and other key tasks. Where has been affected by hosepipe bans? As of the time of writing (16 July), the areas affected or soon to be affected by the hosepipe ban include: 1) Yorkshire Water – all areas supplied by Yorkshire Water 2) South East Water – per the BBC, this will affect:Ashford (Kent)CanterburyEastbourneHaywards HeathHeathfieldMaidstoneSevenoaksTunbridge WellsUckfieldWhitstable. 3) Thames Water – they will soon announce a hosepipe ban for:All OX postcodes All GL postcodes All SN postcodes RG4, RG8, and RG9 postcodes. 4) Southern Water – they will soon announce a hosepipe ban for the following postcodes:PO14/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41SO14/16/18/19/21/22/24/31/40/43/45/50/51/40/53RG20/28/26/19/28SP10/11/5. You can check your address on their site. When do the hosepipe bans come into place?Yorkshire Water’s ban came into place on 11 July 2025.South East Water’s hosepipe ban will come into place on 18 July 2025. Thames Water’s hosepipe ban will come into place on 22 July 2025. Southern Water’s hosepipe ban will come into place on 21 July 2025. Who is exempt from a hosepipe ban?Every water company will have different rules. Check the site of your local water service. But in general, if your usage is crucial to your business (for instance, crop farmers and car washers), if it’s needed for health reasons (like washing away dangerous agents or filling a dangerously low fish pond), and if your hose is not connected to a mains (and is instead drawing water from somewhere like your own water butt or another recycled water system), you might be alright. You may also be exempt if watering a lawn under 28 days old or filling fountains for religious use, the BBC adds.Double-check your local water provider’s site to be sure. Can I use a watering can in a hosepipe ban?Yes, you can still use a watering can or bucket, but you can’t use your hosepipe.Monty Don of BBC Gardeners’ World likes to use “grey water” – used water from your bath, sink, or shower – for plants you’re not going to consume, especially in a heatwave.“It varies in quality and may contain contaminants such as soap and detergent. Fortunately, soil and potting composts are effective at filtering them out, and the residues can sometimes act as a mild fertiliser,” the Royal Horticultural Society says.The issue comes when you turn on water from your mains and channel it through a hose or hose-like tool, so avoid doing this at all for reasons outside the exempted terms as long as you’re under a ban.Related...7 Tips For Saving Water When The Weather's HotUK Gardeners Urged To Pee In Watering Cans For 2 Surprising BenefitsUK Gardeners Urged To Avoid This Watering Mistake In A Heatwave

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