Wessex Water Hits 1.4 Million Customers With First Historic Hosepipe Ban Since 1976 as Drought Worsens

Wessex Water's first hosepipe ban since 1976 takes effect at 00:01 on Tuesday, 18 August. The restriction applies to 1.4 million customers across Bath, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.

The company blamed prolonged dry weather and record demand across its network. Wessex Water said essential supplies remain secure despite the pressure.

What Wessex Water's Ban Means for 1.4 Million Customers

Chief executive Ruth Jefferson said the company had not taken the decision lightly. She said the network was struggling to move enough water to meet record demand.

Wessex Water last imposed a hosepipe ban during the drought of 1976. The temporary ban limits non-essential hosepipe use, meaning customers cannot use hosepipes to water gardens, wash private vehicles or fill domestic swimming pools.

The rules also cover sprinklers and similar devices connected to the mains supply, though customers may still use buckets or watering cans for those activities. Some exemptions apply for health and safety needs, and Wessex Water advises customers to check its guidance before using a hosepipe during the ban.

The company said customers can continue using water for essential household needs, with the ban targeting non-essential hosepipe use rather than normal domestic use. The restrictions aim to reduce pressure on water supplies during the prolonged dry spell, and the company has asked customers to use water carefully while demand remains high.

Environment Agency Says 71 Per Cent of England Now in Drought

The ban follows worsening water conditions across the region. The Environment Agency had classified Wessex as being in drought by late July, and its latest weekly update kept Wessex Water at drought level one in the Grid water resource zone. Reservoir storage also continued to fall.

The Environment Agency recorded exceptionally dry conditions across England from 7 to 13 August. England had received only 6 per cent of its long-term average rainfall for August by then. Reservoir storage across England fell to 65.9 per cent by 11 August, which was 13.8 percentage points below the long-term average for the time of year.

The agency also said 71 per cent of England's land area was in drought. More than 27 million people already faced water-use restrictions before Wessex Water announced its ban.

Record-Dry July Drains Water Supplies

Conditions in Wessex worsened sharply during July. The region received just 2mm of rain, or 4 per cent of its long-term July average, making it the driest July in Wessex since records began in 1871. River flows fell, groundwater levels dropped and soils became exceptionally dry.

Wessex Water's reservoir storage ended July at about 58 per cent capacity. The Environment Agency later classed Clatworthy Reservoir as exceptionally low for the time of year. The latest restrictions come despite a wetter start to 2026, with the region recording above-average rainfall in June, though most fell early in the month.

The dry conditions then intensified through July, with falling river flows and reservoir levels increasing pressure on regional water supplies. Wessex Water has not announced an end date for the hosepipe ban, and the company will review the restrictions as water resources and demand change.

Hosepipe Ban To Remain Until Water Resources Recover

The company has urged customers to cut unnecessary water use, recommending shorter showers, repairing leaking taps and avoiding hosepipes. The Environment Agency has also urged households to conserve water, saying high temperatures and low rainfall continue to reduce water availability across England.

The restrictions come as drought pressures spread across the country. Wessex Water's customers now join millions already living under temporary water-use bans.