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Mon, 20 Jul 2026

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 South East Water hosepipe ban to affect 2.4 million people

South East Water says customers in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire will face a ban.
South East Water has announced that its hosepipe ban will be extended to cover an additional 1.5 million customers across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire, bringing the total number of people affected to 2.4 million. The ban, which was initially introduced for parts of Kent on July 3, will now apply to a wider area due to record-breaking temperatures and drought-like conditions that have seen water levels drop significantly. The company's water supply director, Douglas Whitfield, apologized for the restrictions and thanked customers who are helping to protect water supplies. However, Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde criticized the decision as "the direct result of years of underinvestment in upgrading infrastructure". Under the ban, households will be prohibited from using hosepipes for tasks such as cleaning, filling ponds, or watering plants. The restrictions come into effect at 00:01 BST on Saturday. The company has cited exceptionally hot and dry weather, which has seen temperatures reach a record-breaking 37.3C in June, as the reason for introducing the ban. It also pointed to issues with reservoir levels, including Arlington Reservoir in East Sussex, where levels have dropped to trigger its drought plan. Additionally, the company is struggling with funding issues, having been ordered to spend £30.5m on improvements after an investigation by industry watchdog Ofwat. The extension of the hosepipe ban has caused concern for local businesses, such as The Bull pub in Tunbridge Wells, which had to shut down due to water supply issues, resulting in significant losses. Consumer Council for Water's chief executive, Mike Keil, expressed concerns that South East Water needs to get a grip on its network and take responsibility for ensuring water supplies are reliable.