Hosepipe Ban in Hertfordshire 2026: Is Hertfordshire Affected?
Published: July 10, 2026 · Updated:
Parts of Hertfordshire are affected. Hertfordshire is served by more than one water company, and at least one has a hosepipe ban in force, so whether your address is included depends on your supplier. Check your postcode to find out.
Hertfordshire is largely supplied by Affinity Water, with Thames Water in parts of the south. Affinity is under a hosepipe ban from 17 July 2026, and Thames Water from 00:01 on 23 July 2026. Check your postcode.
Check your exact address
Supply boundaries do not follow county lines. The only reliable answer is your postcode.
Check your postcode →Who supplies Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire does not have a single water company. The suppliers below each cover part of the county, and their bans (where they have one) start on different dates. We will not guess which one serves your address, because the boundaries follow historical infrastructure rather than the county line. Your water bill names your supplier, and the postcode checker returns every candidate for your postcode.
Affinity Water
TUB Active: Central region in force since 17 July 2026Dates: Central region in force since 17 July 2026
Banned: Watering a garden using a hosepipe; cleaning a private motor vehicle using a hosepipe; watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises; cleaning a private leisure boat; filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool; drawing water for domestic recreational use; filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain; cleaning walls, windows, paths, patios or other artificial outdoor surfaces.
Still allowed: Watering with a watering can or bucket is always allowed, as is water from a butt or other non-mains source. Annex 2 of Affinity Water's statutory notice automatically exempts Blue Badge holders and customers on the Priority Services Register, who may continue to use a hosepipe without making representations. Affinity Water's website guidance additionally states that customers on the WaterSure tariff are exempt, and that businesses may continue to use a hosepipe where it is directly needed for their commercial activities; both of those go beyond what the notice itself sets out, so quote the guidance if you are challenged. The notice also allows drip and trickle irrigation fitted with a pressure reducing valve and timer, and hosepipe watering of turf laid within the previous four weeks. Representations can be made in writing to Affinity Water.
Fine: £1,000 maximum per violation.
Full detail on the Affinity Water page.
Thames Water
TUB Active: The Thames Water drinking-water supply area (London, the Thames Valley and the home counties) in force since 23 July 2026Dates: The Thames Water drinking-water supply area (London, the Thames Valley and the home counties) in force since 23 July 2026
Banned: Across the Thames water-supply area, and Thames Water counts sprinklers and pressure washers as covered: watering a garden, lawn or allotment with a hosepipe; filling or topping up a paddling pool, swimming pool or hot tub; using a sprinkler or jet washer; and cleaning a vehicle, patio, path, driveway, wall, window or any other outdoor surface with a hosepipe.
Still allowed: Watering with a watering can or bucket is always allowed, as is water collected in a water butt or reused from the home. Thames Water lists exemptions including wastewater-only customers, health and safety needs, animal welfare (pets, livestock and fish), some business services and activities, watering food crops and certain newly planted trees, and Priority Services customers who cannot reasonably adjust their water use because of a disability or medical condition. Thames Water says the full exemptions are in its legal notice, available from 22 July 2026.
Fine: £1,000 maximum per violation.
Full detail on the Thames Water page.
What you can still do in Hertfordshire
A hosepipe ban restricts the hosepipe, not the water. Watering with a can or bucket is always allowed, collected rainwater and greywater are unrestricted, and the exemptions are wider than most people realise. For the full allowed-versus-banned list and how it differs by company, see what you can still do under a hosepipe ban. If you have newly laid turf, the 28-day new turf exemption may apply.
Explore the wider picture
- Is there a hosepipe ban in my area? the national picture and every county.
- UK hosepipe ban map colour-coded by region.
- Postcode checker the exact answer for your address.
- Hosepipe ban fines explained the £1,000 penalty and how enforcement works.
- UK hosepipe ban hub every company and status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a hosepipe ban in Hertfordshire?
Hertfordshire is served by more than one water company (Affinity Water and Thames Water), and at least one has a hosepipe ban. Whether your address is affected depends on which company supplies you, so check your postcode or your water bill.
Which water company supplies Hertfordshire?
More than one: Affinity Water and Thames Water. Their supply areas follow historical infrastructure, not the county boundary, so Hertfordshire cannot be assigned to a single company. Your water bill names your supplier, and our postcode checker returns every candidate for your postcode.
Is a hosepipe ban set by the council or the water company?
The water company, not the council. A Temporary Use Ban is declared by your water company under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991. That is why the answer depends on your supplier and not on which county or district you live in.
How do I check if my Hertfordshire postcode is affected?
Use our UK postcode checker, which maps your postcode to its water company or companies and shows each one's current status. Because Hertfordshire postcodes such as AL, SG, WD can span more than one supplier, the checker returns every candidate with a note to confirm on your bill.
County-to-company routing is a guide, not a guarantee: water supply boundaries follow historical infrastructure, not county lines. The definitive answer for your address is the postcode checker and your water bill. ← Back to UK hosepipe ban status