Wessex Water Imposes First Hosepipe Ban in 50 Years Amid UK Drought

Wessex Water has introduced a hosepipe ban starting August 18, marking the first time the supplier has imposed such restrictions in over 50 years. The ban affects 1.4 million customers across Bath, Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire. This decision follows a period of record breaking summer weather and exceptionally dry conditions that have put over two thirds of England and the entirety of Wales in official drought. According to Wessex Water chief executive Ruth Jefferson, demand in the region has remained 30 percent above average, exceeding 400 million litres per day.

Wessex Water joins nine other providers, including Thames Water, South East Water, and Anglian Water, in implementing legal restrictions. In total, over 27 million people are now subject to hosepipe bans. In Wales, Welsh Water introduced a ban for approximately 33,000 customers in Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Carmarthenshire starting July 19. Those who breach an official ban can face fines of up to 1,000 pounds.

Met Office figures indicate that central and south east England have experienced the longest unbroken spell of no recorded rainfall this century. June 2026 was the hottest June on record for England, with a peak temperature of 38C in Lingwood, Norfolk. While the drought persists, Sky News reports that the UK is facing its most changeable week of weather since June as temperatures begin to fall.