Wessex Water Hosepipe Ban: What It Means for Your Household
What happened
Wessex Water announced on Monday 17 August 2026 that it was introducing a temporary hosepipe ban (Temporary Use Ban), which came into force at 00:01 on Tuesday 18 August. According to the company's own statement, the decision followed months of unprecedented dry weather, repeated heatwaves, record levels of demand, and forecasts for further hot conditions with no significant rain expected. Wessex Water says this is the first time water restrictions have been needed in its region in 50 years.
Who is affected
The ban applies to all customers in the Wessex Water supply region, according to the company's own hosepipe ban page — not to a subset of towns. Customers with a valid exemption are not affected. Wessex Water's exemptions page lists medical or mobility needs (including those already on, or eligible for, its Priority Services Register), health and safety cleaning, and filling a caravan or motorhome water tank, among others.
What you can and can't do
Wessex Water states the ban restricts hosepipe use for activities including watering gardens, cleaning private vehicles, filling or maintaining pools and ponds, and cleaning walls, windows, paths or patios. The company is explicit that this does not impact everyday essential household use such as showering and washing. A watering can, a bucket, and water collected yourself (such as from a water butt) are not restricted.
How long it's expected to last
No end date has been announced. Wessex Water's own guidance indicates restrictions will be lifted once conditions genuinely improve, rather than on a fixed date.
Compensation
No compensation applies specifically for being under a hosepipe ban (Temporary Use Ban) — this is a demand-restriction measure under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, separate from a formal Emergency Drought Order, which carries its own compensation provisions for interrupted essential supplies. Breaching the ban itself is an offence under the same Section 76, with a maximum fine of £1,000 per violation — a penalty for customers who don't comply, not a compensation entitlement.
Worth having in before restrictions get tighter
Not sure how much water you'd need if this happened to you?
Use our free calculator to work out exactly how many litres your household should have on hand, based on who's in it and how many days you'd want to cover.
Use the emergency water calculator →Be ready for the next one: the UK Household Emergency Binder
Water cut-offs, boil water notices, hosepipe bans, power cuts, floods and frozen pipes, plus your own emergency contacts and kit checklist, in one fillable PDF based on official UK guidance.
See the binder →Preparing generally, not just for this incident
Whatever your own supplier and circumstances, the same basics apply: knowing how much to store, how to store it safely, and what to do if your supply is ever cut off.
Read our full guide to water supply interruptions →Minimum requirements for all
x140 Kirkland Water (500ml)
Drinking
Purpose: cover your minimum drinking-water gap without a large storage footprint. 140 x 500ml bottles of natural spring water.
Inpress Plastics 5L Water Container
Drinking
Purpose: efficient storage for larger gaps with limited cupboard space. Empty, refillable 5L container, food-quality polyethylene, rectangular shape for efficient stacking.
x10 Vira Safe Hand Sanitiser (500ml)
Hygiene
Purpose: basic hygiene cover when water is limited, per government guidance. 70% alcohol, UK-made, contains Vitamin E and Aloe Vera.