More than 27 million people across England and Wales are already under a hosepipe ban as reservoir levels continue to drop amid an exceptionally hot and dry spring and summer. The situation is poised to escalate, with the possibility of water bans extending to businesses, including car washes and swimming pools, as temperatures are expected to reach 36C (97F) again this week.
Nine water companies have implemented restrictions, legally prohibiting customers from using hosepipes for watering gardens or washing cars, patios, and boats. Southern Water, which imposed a ban on July 10 in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, is considering seeking government approval for a Drought Order and a Non-Essential Use Ban (NEUB). Such a ban would prevent businesses from activities such as washing cars and windows with hosepipes or filling non-domestic swimming and paddling pools.
Escalating Restrictions
A NEUB would also compel businesses to cease watering outdoor plants on commercial premises, filling or maintaining ponds, cleaning vehicles, aircraft, or trains, cleaning industrial plants, suppressing dust, or operating cisterns on unoccupied buildings. If Southern Water's application is approved, it would mark the first NEUB since 2006. The company has stated these are precautionary measures to protect water supplies and the environment if dry conditions persist, emphasizing that any drought measures would be subject to strict environmental monitoring.
Separately, a Drought Order application would allow Southern Water to extract the same amount of water from the River Test, even if river flows are reduced. Protecting the River Test remains a stated priority.
Other water companies that have introduced hosepipe bans include Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Essex and Suffolk Water, South East Water, South West Water, and Thames Water. South West Water's restrictions, announced recently, affect all 1.8 million customers across Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly.
Heatwave Warnings and Drought Status
This week, parts of the UK are bracing for their sixth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures predicted to reach 36C or higher. The Met Office has cautioned about potential impacts on railway lines and power networks, and is considering issuing rare amber or red extreme heat warnings. Meteorologist Tom Morgan noted that Thursday is the most likely day to see the highest temperatures, with a possibility of exceeding 36C in some locations.
Drought was declared last month for all of Wales and over half of England. The Environment Agency indicated that additional areas could be moved from 'dry weather' to drought status during a meeting of the National Drought Group. Approximately 16 million more people could be moved into drought status as public water supplies face increasing pressure from continued dry weather and high demand.
Health officials have warned about the potential effects of the upcoming hot weather on vulnerable populations, anticipating significant impacts on health and social care settings and a possible rise in heat-related deaths. Yellow heat health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency for various regions across England, remaining in place until tomorrow evening but subject to extension.
This summer has already seen 34 days with temperatures exceeding 30C somewhere in the UK, matching the record set in 1995. The extreme weather has included two record-breaking heatwaves in May and June, which were linked to more than 2,800 excess deaths. July was the driest month in England and Wales since records began in 1836, fueling drought conditions and wildfires. Much of southern England has experienced nearly two months without significant rainfall. The exceptional weather led to a record number of wildfires in England and Wales last month, with firefighters responding to 395 blazes in the three weeks leading up to July 31.
Concerns have also been raised about water-related fatalities following an incident where a 19-year-old died in the Lake District. Globally, June to July temperatures in western Europe reached 21.61C (70.92F), surpassing the previous record set in 2022. This year is on track to be the third hottest on record globally.