Southern Water has introduced a mandatory hosepipe ban for approximately one million customers across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, effective Friday, July 10, 2026.
The measure comes in response to severe drought conditions threatening the region's main water supplies.
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The ban follows a record-breaking summer heatwave, with UK temperatures reaching 34.4 degrees Celsius at Wisley in Surrey on July 9.
This marked the eighth day at or above 34 degrees Celsius within a calendar year, an unprecedented occurrence.
Water levels in the River Test, a rare chalk stream that supplies most of the local area's drinking water, have dropped 25 percent below the seasonal average.
This follows the warmest spring on record, as reported by ITV News.
“We’re working round the clock to keep taps flowing and protect the River Test, which is at a critically low level following recent hot weather,” said Tania Flasck, Director of Water Operations at Southern Water.
The utility company highlighted that a single hosepipe uses 1,000 liters of water per hour, equivalent to the average weekly usage of an individual.
Residents are urged to switch to buckets and watering cans.
“I want to thank people for the incredible efforts they made last year to save water during the hosepipe ban,” Flasck stated.
“Their actions really made a difference.”
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Exemptions are available for vulnerable individuals, including WaterSure customers and Blue Badge holders with specific health or mobility requirements.
