South East Water applies for Drought Permit in Sussex

South East Water applied for a Drought Permit in Sussex on Friday 28 August 2026, and the Environment Agency granted it on Tuesday 29 September, the company has said¹. On Friday 2 October the company began removing exemptions from its current hosepipe restrictions, except those for health and safety purposes, and applied for a Non-Essential Use Ban (NEUB)¹.

The permit allows the company to reduce the amount of additional water released from Ardingly Reservoir into the Shell Brook tributary of the River Ouse, and to reduce the minimum flow that must remain in the river at Barcombe Mills after water has been taken for customers¹. Ardingly Reservoir serves 228,000 customers in Haywards Heath and the surrounding areas of Sussex; despite recent rainfall it is 22.8 per cent full, which the company says has triggered the next level of its Drought Plan¹.

The company reports that between March and August, Sussex received just over 56 per cent of expected rainfall¹. It cites the Met Office as provisionally reporting summer 2026 as the hottest on record for the UK, and says July in England was the driest since records began 190 years ago¹. The NEUB application targets commercial and non-household water use and requires approval by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs¹.

Why it matters for households

Households in the Sussex area served by South East Water are affected. From 2 October, customers who held an exemption under the current temporary use ban can no longer use a hosepipe, apart from exemptions for health and safety purposes; the company directs customers to its website for the full list of what is and is not covered¹. The NEUB, if approved, would target commercial and non-household water use rather than household use¹. The Drought Permit changes how much water is released from Ardingly Reservoir and the minimum flow kept in the River Ouse at Barcombe Mills¹. The company's head of water resources said its "absolute priority is making sure there is always enough water for everyone's essential daily needs"¹. The guide to Drought Permits, Orders and Emergency Rota Cuts explains how these instruments work, and England's 2026 drought page tracks where restrictions apply.

What happens next

The NEUB application requires approval by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; no decision date has been reported¹. South East Water says it is focused on delivering its long-term business plan to build a more stable supply¹. The company's drought plan sets out the stages it moves through as reservoir levels fall, and the heatwaves and drought guide covers household preparation for dry conditions.