UK Water Companies Introduce Temporary Hosepipe Bans After Hottest June on Record

Millions of UK water customers will face hosepipe bans over the coming days and weeks as companies respond to sustained high temperatures and tightening supplies. Anglian Water, the UK's largest water company with more than 5 million customers in the East of England, will enforce its ban from Saturday 11 July.

Southern Water will introduce a ban for customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from Friday 10 July.

South East Water already has a temporary ban in place across much of Kent that began on Friday 3 July, and Cambridge Water has restricted use for its 350,000 customers for the first time in three decades. June 2026 was the hottest June on record for England, the Met Office said, with a peak of 37.7C recorded in Lingwood, Norfolk, on 26 June.

That surpassed the previous June record of 35.6C set in Southampton in 1976.

The country has now recorded eight days at or above 34C in a single calendar year, exceeding the prior mark of seven days set in 1976 and 2020. UK officials have warned that drought conditions are becoming increasingly likely in parts of the country, with authorities monitoring East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat health alerts for every region except the North East until Sunday 12 July; the North East remains under a yellow alert.

Dr Geoff Darch, head of strategic asset planning for Anglian Water, said the year has been exceptionally hot and dry. “Every day of sustained hot weather increases the challenge of balancing supply and demand, and we are now at the point where we need to ask customers to help by hanging up the hosepipe, letting lawns go brown, cars go dirty and using water even more wisely,” he said.