Essex & Suffolk Water appeals to Suffolk customers to use less water during heat spell

Essex & Suffolk Water asked customers in Suffolk on 10 July 2026 to show restraint with their water use during extremely hot and dry weather, saying an extra seven million litres a day had been needed in the county since Wednesday 1 July¹. The company said no hosepipe ban, formally a temporary use ban, was being introduced at that point¹.

The company, part of Northumbrian Water Group, said Suffolk had received just 0.3mm of rainfall since 1 July and had seen temperatures of up to 31°C in recent days, after months of dry weather and three successive heatwaves¹. It said the extra seven million litres a day was the equivalent of supplying a town the size of Lowestoft on top of its normal supply areas¹. Kieran Ingram, Water Director, said:

The company said it was closely monitoring water resources and preparing for all eventualities, and that it was continuing to tackle leaks and bursts¹. It said that if a temporary water use ban became necessary it would work closely with local communities to provide the right support¹. It pointed customers to its water saving tips¹.

A separate Essex & Suffolk Water page, its water resources page, states that a temporary use ban is in place across its supply area, and that this follows months of prolonged dry weather². That page describes four successive heatwaves, little or no rainfall across East Anglia in July, extremely dry soils affecting groundwater sources, low river flows and forecasts of hot, dry conditions continuing into August². It says customers are using an average of an extra 29 million litres of water a day, the equivalent of adding an extra Chelmsford to the existing supply area². The two accounts differ on the number of heatwaves, on the extra demand figure and on whether a ban is in place; the 10 July announcement states that no temporary usage ban is currently being introduced¹, while the water resources page states that one is in place². The water resources page also gives reservoir figures that do not agree with each other: it says Hanningfield and Abberton are at a combined average of 69%, below average for the time of year, and separately lists combined Essex reservoir storage as 38% full, below average, under a heading dated 27 October 2026².

Why it matters for households

Households in the Suffolk supply area are the ones the company has asked to cut back, from 10 July 2026, while the hot, dry spell continues¹. The company says small changes can make a big difference and could help reduce the likelihood of restrictions being needed later in the summer¹. Its water resources page says a hosepipe ban would help make sure there is enough water to continue supplying customers and to protect the environment if dry weather continues through the autumn and winter². The company's published drought plans set out what it will do before, during and after a drought, the measures available to reduce demand and support supplies, and the triggers for action². The Environment Agency publishes recent rainfall, river flows and river and groundwater levels, and a regional hydrological outlook is also published².

What happens next

The company says it is monitoring water resources and preparing for all eventualities, and that it will work with local communities to provide support if a temporary water use ban becomes necessary¹. Its water resources page states that a temporary use ban is in place and directs customers to its temporary use ban page for more information². The reservoir table on that page is updated each month².

The company's water saving tips are cited in its announcement¹. This guide's pages on how to save water at home when supplies are low, the water shortage and hosepipe ban checklist and how temporary use bans work cover the practical background, and the heatwaves and drought hub and water hub collect the wider material.