17 August 2026
Wessex Water release: Hosepipe ban introduced amid unprecedented dry weather and drought conditions
Wessex Water has today (17 August) announced a hosepipe ban after months of unprecedented dry weather, heatwaves and a continued lack of rain forecast, which has led to sustained high demand for water.
The company – which supplies 1.4 million customers in areas including Bath, and parts of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire – has taken the decision after more than 40 days of demand for water remaining at record-breaking levels and the region formally declared as being in drought.
It means that from tomorrow (00:01 hrs Tuesday 18 August) household customers must not use a hosepipe for activities such as watering gardens, washing cars, patios, paths and driveways, cleaning windows or filling swimming and paddling pools.
The ban marks the first time in 50 years that Wessex Water has introduced restrictions on water use, the last time being the famous drought of 1976.
Wessex Water Chief Executive Ruth Jefferson said the decision to put a ban in place comes from a combination of increased demand for water during the ongoing dry weather and longer-term forecasts meaning water resources must be protected for both customers and the environment.
The firm’s repair teams have been fixing more leaks than ever this summer across its supply area, prioritising those that are wasting the most water. In the last month alone, find and fix rates for leaks have increased by more than a third.
Leakage has reduced by 60% in the last 30 years in the Wessex Water region and between 2010 and 2018 the company invested in a £230 million water supply grid, allowing it to move water quickly around the network to areas of need.
Mrs Jefferson said: “After 50 years without a hosepipe ban in the Wessex Water region – the first since the famous drought of 1976 – this isn’t a decision we’ve made lightly and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause.
“We know so many of our customers have already been taking steps to save water and we’re incredibly grateful for their support so far this summer. It makes such a difference.
“But the prolonged and extreme dry weather has meant demand across our region has consistently remained at more than 400 million litres per day, 30 per cent above average for this time of year and the equivalent of almost half a million hosepipes running for a full hour every day.
“While we’re not running out of water for essential use, our challenge has been moving water through the network quickly enough to meet these record levels of demand. This also has an impact on our underground storage reservoirs, which normally replenish with treated water quickly.”
Wessex Water is contacting larger business customers who are high water users to encourage them to avoid non-essential use.
It is also continuing to encourage households to make small and simple changes during the ongoing dry spell to ensure water supplies and the environment are protected. These include:
§ Letting the lawn go brown – it will recover when the rain comes.
§ Using a watering can to water plants.
§ Reusing washing up water for patio pots and moving pots into the shade so they dry out less.
§ Filling up paddling pools using buckets or watering cans and covering them when not in use to prevent evaporation.
§ Keeping showers short and not leaving taps running while brushing teeth or doing the dishes.
§ Not washing the car – be proud of having a dirty car, just keep the windscreen and number plate clean.
More information on the restrictions covered by the hosepipe ban and any exemptions can be found on Wessex Water’s website.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
What does the temporary use ban mean? A hosepipe ban, also known as a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), restricts the use of hosepipes for certain non-essential activities to help conserve water during periods of prolonged dry weather. The hosepipe ban starts on Tuesday 18 August from 00:01 hrs. From this point, customers must not use a hosepipe for activities covered by the restrictions.
What can customers no longer use a hosepipe for?
· Watering gardens, lawns, flowers and plants.
· Filling or maintaining paddling pools and swimming pools.
· Washing private vehicles.
· Cleaning patios, paths, driveways, walls and windows.
· Filling ornamental ponds or fountains.
· Cleaning outdoor surfaces. · A full list of restrictions can be found on our website.
Are there any exemptions? Some customers may be exempt from the ban if they are unable to make reasonable adjustments due to a health condition or disability. Using a hosepipe for health and safety needs, animal welfare and some business services and activities are also excluded from the restrictions. A full list of exemptions can be found on our website.
What Wessex Water has done to avoid a hosepipe ban for 50 years
· Invested £230 million on a water supply grid between 2010 and 2018 to make sure we can move water around our region to reach areas where water is scarce, or there is high demand.
· Reduced leakage by 60% in the last 30 years, increasing the find and fix leakage rate by more than 32% in the last month alone.
· In the past three months alone, £16 million has been invested across the region in water supply assets.
Comparisons to the 1976 drought
· The weather conditions throughout the summer and the effect they have had on water supply and demand is similar to – and in some cases surpasses – those that were experienced during the famous drought of 1976.
· So far in 2026, the Wessex Water region has seen nearly 20 days with temperatures above 30°C, surpassing the previous annual record of 14 days in 1976.
· 2026 is also the first year on record in the UK where temperatures have exceeded 35°C across May, June, July and August.
· For water supply, Wessex Water’s highest daily demand in 2026 was on 11 July where 449 million litres were used.
· 2026 is 50 years since the last time Wessex Water issued a hosepipe ban during the