Water Suppliers Implement Hosepipe Bans Amid England Drought

The Environment Agency has declared seven areas of England, including Essex and Suffolk, to be in drought following a dry spring and record-breaking heatwaves. In response, Thames Water implemented a hosepipe ban in Swindon and Marlborough on July 21, 2026. The utility company cited a daily increase in water demand of 100 million litres and noted that rainfall between March and May was only 40 per cent of the regional average.

The restrictions prohibit using hosepipes for cleaning cars and windows, watering gardens, or filling pools. While the ban remains in effect, a pipe burst on Nythe Road in Swindon on July 24 left several homes without water for hours. Thames Water has not set a specific end date, stating the ban will be lifted once conditions allow.

In the South East, Essex & Suffolk Water is reviewing whether to implement its own ban. While neighboring suppliers Anglian Water and Affinity Water have already introduced restrictions, Essex & Suffolk Water reported that reservoirs at Hanningfield and Abberton were 72 percent full as of July 21. However, the company noted a 13 percent increase in demand and soil conditions 129 percent drier than average. The situation is further complicated by Met Office forecasts of temperatures up to 35C and a surge of over 200 wildfires across eastern England in a 12-day period.