Wessex Water imposes first hosepipe ban in 50 years, affecting 1.4 million customers

For the first time in 50 years, Wessex Water is imposing a hosepipe ban across its service region, affecting approximately 1.4 million customers in areas including Bath, Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire. The restriction, known as a Temporary Use Ban, will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in response to unprecedented demand and prolonged drought conditions.

The ban prohibits the use of hosepipes for a range of non-essential activities, including watering gardens and lawns, filling swimming or paddling pools, washing private vehicles, cleaning outdoor surfaces, and filling ornamental ponds. The utility company stated that demand is currently about 30 percent above average for this time of year, consistently exceeding 400 million litres per day. This volume is equivalent to nearly half a million hosepipes running for a full hour daily, placing severe strain on the distribution network and underground storage reservoirs.

Wessex Water Chief Executive Ruth Jefferson said the decision, the first since the historic 1976 drought, was not made lightly. She expressed regret for the inconvenience but emphasized the necessity to protect water resources and the...