South East Water hosepipe ban extends to Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire

South East Water announced the temporary use ban for Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire on 20 July 2026, and it came into force from 00:01 on Saturday 25 July 2026¹. The company's Kent restrictions were announced on 25 June 2026 and took effect from 00:01 on Friday 3 July 2026¹. A Temporary Use Ban is now in force across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire².

The company said the restrictions follow lower than average rainfall, continued hot weather and high demand, with river levels declining and some groundwater sources needing protection². Demand for water entering its network peaked at 687 million litres a day on Wednesday 24 June 2026, nearly 100 million litres more than the average for June, and has consistently stayed within its red alert level¹. South East Water said March to June saw just half of normal rainfall¹. It also said it has not had to place Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire in temporary restrictions in 14 years, since 2012².

The ban applies to all customers the company supplies with drinking water, including customers of Last Mile Water, Leaf Water and Independent Water Networks (IWNL)¹. South East Water states that contravening the prohibition is an offence and that a customer convicted could face a fine of up to £1,000 under section 76(5) of the Water Industry Act¹.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW), which published a round-up of restrictions across companies dated 10 July 2026, said ten water companies were operating temporary use bans as of Monday 14 September³. Its listing gives the following start dates.

CCW said the bans aim "to reduce demand for water, which rose significantly during repeated heatwaves and prolonged dry weather over the summer"³. Its chief executive, Mike Keil, said:

South East Water states that the restrictions mean customers should not use hosepipes for watering gardens, washing cars, patios and boats, and for filling swimming and paddling pools². It defines a hosepipe as anything designed, adapted or used to serve the same purpose, so garden sprinklers, irrigation systems connected to the mains and pressure washers are treated as hosepipes². Using a hosepipe connected to a water butt or other recycled water storage system is not restricted².

Exemptions apply in Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, including customers on the company's Priority Services Register who are unable to make reasonable adjustments, and uses needed for health and safety, animal welfare, business need, recycled water, new lawns, trickle irrigation, commercial watering, new swimming pools and religious practice². The company asks customers seeking an exemption to call 0300 000 0001, and says a letter from a doctor or vet is needed as evidence before a medical exemption can be granted¹. Customers can check their supplier by postcode through Water UK².

Why it matters for households

Households supplied by South East Water in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire are affected from 00:01 on 25 July 2026, alongside existing restrictions in Kent². For many in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire this is the first time their area has been in temporary restrictions since 2012². The company says its priority is ensuring enough water for drinking, cooking and hygiene². It asks customers to continue following the restrictions and using water wisely².

What happens next

South East Water says the ban will likely continue until water demand has reduced to manageable levels, water resources are back to normal and there is no further risk of supply interruptions across the network over the summer, and that it will keep the position under constant review¹. It says it will announce lifting the ban through newspaper notices, social media, email to customers, letters to MPs and councillors, staff briefings, its webpage and the media¹.

For the practical detail, see the site's Water Shortage and Hosepipe Ban Checklist, What You Can and Cannot Do in a Hosepipe Ban and Watering the Garden, Allotment and New Lawn in a Hosepipe Ban, with the wider picture in England's 2026 Drought: Where Restrictions Apply and the heatwaves and drought hub.