Thames Water announces hosepipe ban starting this week

Following the driest spring in years, three official heatwaves, record temperatures and sustained high demand,

Thames Water is introducing a Temporary Use Ban (TUB), also known as a hosepipe ban, for all customers it supplies with drinking water.

The restrictions will come into effect at 12.01am on Thursday (July 23) and mean customers in the affected areas must not use hosepipes for non-essential activities.

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This includes watering gardens, cleaning cars, filling paddling pools or topping up hot tubs.

Thames Water is asking customers to follow the usage restrictions now, ahead of the official start date.

Water use has remained exceptionally high during recent periods of record hot weather.

Demand is currently around 10 per cent above normal levels across the Thames Valley and Home Counties and 7 per cent above normal in London.

On average, customers are using an additional 100 million litres of water every day across London and the Thames Valley, the equivalent of adding all the homes in Manchester to the company’s network.

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During peak periods, water has been used faster than it can be treated and moved through parts of the network, placing additional pressure on local supplies.

The company is now implementing the next stage of its drought plan to help protect customer supplies and the environment.

Nevil Muncaster, Director of Strategic Water Resources at Thames Water, said: “We would not be taking this step unless it was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment.

 “Recent heatwaves and a very dry spring and summer have led to sustained high demand.

“While there is enough water for essential use, we need to reduce non-essential outdoor demand to keep taps flowing.

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“Many customers have already reduced their water use, and that support has made a difference.

“Thank you to everyone who has already changed their daily habits.

“Our teams are working 24/7 to keep water moving, fix leaks and support customers.

“We will keep the situation under close review and lift restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so.”

This spring, the Thames Water region received only 40 per cent of average rainfall and has experienced three periods of exceptionally hot weather.

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The hot weather is forecast to continue, while the UK has already recorded nine days where temperatures reached 34°C or above, more than in the previous record years of 1976 and 2020.

While Thames Water plans for periods of dry weather and increased summer demand, the scale and duration of recent demand is having a significant impact on water resources.

There has been no rainfall so far in July in the Thames catchment, combined with exceptionally high water use, which is stretching water resources across the region.

Under the Temporary Use Ban, customers in the affected area must not use hosepipes.

It includes not using them for watering gardens, lawns or allotments or cleaning private cars, patios, paths, driveways or windows.

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It also includes not using hoses for filling or topping up paddling pools, swimming pools or hot tubs or using sprinklers or similar equipment connected to the mains water supply.

Customers should continue to use water for essential needs such as drinking, cooking, washing and hygiene.

Buckets and watering cans can still be used, and there are exemptions, including where water use is necessary for health and safety reasons or for customers with severe mobility problems.

Further details on the Temporary Use Ban, including restrictions and exemptions, will be available in Thames Water’s legal notice and dedicated information webpage on its website.