South East Water Hosepipe Ban Status 2026
Published: June 24, 2026 · Updated:
TUB Active: Kent in force since 3 July 2026; Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire in force since 25 July 2026
- Status
- In force
- In force
- since 3 July 2026; since 25 July 2026
- Area
- Whole supply area (Kent now; rest from 25 July)
- Maximum fine
- £1,000 maximum per violation
- Last verified
- 2026-08-03
South East Water's Temporary Use Ban now covers its entire supply area under two separate legal notices: a Kent notice already in force, and an extension to its Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire areas. Our earlier Kent-only clarification was correct for 3 to 24 July, when the company explicitly excluded Sussex, Surrey and Berkshire; that changed with the 18 July extension. Each notice, with its own start date and reason, is set out below. South East Water is also exploring a second reservoir alongside Arlington as a longer-term response, per its announcement.
Coverage Area
South East Water serves Kent and parts of Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, and its Temporary Use Ban now covers the ENTIRE supply area under two legal notices. Kent has been in force since 00:01 on Friday 3 July 2026. Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire were announced on 18 July and come into force at 00:01 on Saturday 25 July 2026; until then South East Water is urging customers there to follow the restrictions straight away.
Approximately 2.3 million customers in total. The Kent TUB covers about 850,000; South East Water publishes no population figure for the extension (The Independent reports around two million more).
Not sure of your supplier or whether your address is covered? Use the postcode checker. Official site: South East Water Ltd.
Why South East Water Declared This Restriction
South East Water's Kent supply network has experienced near-record peak demand during the June 2026 heatwave (UK temperatures peaked at 37.3°C at Santon Downham, Suffolk on 26 June, a new June record per the Met Office). Reservoir storage at Ardingly and Bough Beech remains a longer-term concern but the immediate driver for the 3 July TUB is distribution-network pressure, not reservoir crisis. The 25 July extension has its own reasons: for Sussex, South East Water has paused abstraction from the River Cuckmere to protect it and Arlington Reservoir has dropped to the level at which its Drought Plan requires restrictions, after 55 per cent of average rainfall since March; for Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire these are the first temporary restrictions in 14 years, since 2012.
What is Banned, What is Allowed
Restricted uses: Watering gardens or plants with a hosepipe; cleaning private cars with a hosepipe; cleaning walls, windows, paths or patios with a hosepipe; filling or maintaining swimming pools, paddling pools and hot tubs; cleaning boats; running ornamental fountains.
Watering with watering can or bucket always allowed. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses exempt. Blue badge holders and Priority Services Register customers may apply for exemption. Commercial food production exempt. Collected rainwater unrestricted, and South East Water's FAQ confirms a hosepipe connected to a rainwater or grey water source (such as a water butt) may be used for garden watering and car washing. Vehicle cleaning exemptions per its FAQ: cars cleaned as a service to customers in the course of a business, and public service, goods, commercial and taxi vehicles. New turf laid BEFORE the start of the ban may be watered by hosepipe in domestic gardens for 28 days (four weeks) after planting or laying, to help it establish. South East Water attaches two conditions: hosepipe watering must be done outside the daily peak hours of 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm, and you must be able to provide evidence of the date the works were completed if asked. Watering for longer than 28 days, or failing to evidence the date, is a breach of the ban.
Exemptions differ between companies. Before relying on one, check South East Water's own notice. For the newly laid turf rule, see our 28-day new turf exemption guide, and for the commercial rules our hosepipe ban rules for businesses.
What you can still do under the South East Water ban
Each rule below is from South East Water's own notice or FAQ. Other companies word these differently, so this list is South East Water only.
Peak hours: 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm. Any time-limited exemption must be used outside these hours.
- New lawns and planting. New turf laid before the ban began, in a domestic garden, may be watered by hosepipe for 28 days after laying, but only outside the daily peak hours of 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm, and you must be able to evidence the date the work was completed. (South East Water, verified 2026-07-20)
- Business vehicles. Cars cleaned as a service to customers in the course of a business are exempt, and public service, goods, commercial and taxi vehicles may be cleaned with a hosepipe. This is the opposite of Thames Water, which does not exempt taxis. (South East Water, verified 2026-07-20)
- Rainwater and greywater. A hosepipe connected to a rainwater or greywater source, such as a water butt, may be used for garden watering and car washing. (South East Water, verified 2026-07-20)
- Food production. Commercial food production is exempt. (South East Water, verified 2026-07-20)
Fines and Reporting
Maximum fine: £1,000 maximum per violation.
South East Water enforcement typically begins with written warning before fines. The Kent TUB is enforceable from 00:01 on Friday 3 July 2026 under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991.
Reporting channel: South East Water online TUB report form and customer services line.
Legal notice: notice 1 (PDF); notice 2 (PDF). The legally-operative terms are in the notice itself.
UK Lawn Care During South East Water Restrictions
Kent customers have been under the TUB since 3 July 2026; Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire customers are under it from 25 July, with the company urging compliance straight away. Watering with a can or bucket remains legal at any time. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses are exempt. Raise mower to 50 to 60 millimetres, stop fertilising, and allow some browning to conserve water.
See our keep your lawn alive under a hosepipe ban guide, and overseeding during a hosepipe ban for the September window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a hosepipe ban in Kent right now?
Yes. South East Water announced a Temporary Use Ban for its Kent supply area on 25 June 2026, enforceable from 00:01 on Friday 3 July 2026. Approximately 850,000 customers are affected. South East Water has asked customers to respect the ban with immediate effect even before the 3 July enforcement date.
Does the South East Water TUB cover Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire or Berkshire?
From 00:01 on Saturday 25 July 2026, yes. South East Water announced on 18 July that it is extending the ban from Kent to its entire supply area under a second legal notice, and is urging customers in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire to follow the restrictions straight away ahead of that date. Until 25 July the extension is announced but not legally in force. The ban was initially Kent only (from 3 July), which is why our earlier coverage said so.
Why is South East Water extending the ban beyond Kent?
The company gives different reasons by region. For Sussex, it has paused taking water from the River Cuckmere to protect the river, which has dropped Arlington Reservoir to the level at which its Drought Plan requires restrictions; the area has had 55 per cent of average rainfall since March. For Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, sustained heatwave demand is drawing water from storage faster than it can be treated; these are the first temporary restrictions there in 14 years, since 2012.
What is restricted under the South East Water Kent TUB?
Watering gardens or plants with a hosepipe; cleaning private cars with a hosepipe; cleaning walls, windows, paths or patios with a hosepipe; filling or maintaining swimming pools, paddling pools or hot tubs; cleaning boats; running ornamental fountains. Watering with a can or bucket is always allowed.
What is the fine for breaching the South East Water Kent TUB?
Up to £1,000 per violation under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991. South East Water typically issues a written warning before any fine. Repeated violations after warning attract financial penalty. Reports of breaches go through the company's online form or customer services line.
What exemptions apply to the Kent TUB?
Watering can or bucket is always allowed. Drip irrigation and soaker hose systems are exempt. Blue Badge holders and Priority Services Register customers may apply to South East Water for an exemption. New lawns and turf laid under contract are exempt within a defined window. Commercial food production is exempt. Collected rainwater is unrestricted.
Why has South East Water declared a TUB if reservoirs are at the long-term average nationally?
South East Water has stated the TUB is to manage pressure on its Kent distribution network during near-record demand, not to address a supply-side reservoir shortage. The Environment Agency's 18-26 June 2026 weekly report confirms this framing. National reservoir storage was around 87.5% for England (at the long-term average) for the week ending 23 June, but Kent peak demand from the heatwave exceeded distribution capacity.
Can I water newly laid turf under the South East Water Kent ban?
Only turf laid BEFORE the ban started, and only for 28 days (four weeks) after planting or laying. South East Water attaches conditions: water outside the daily peak hours of 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm, and be ready to evidence the date the works were completed. Watering beyond 28 days, or being unable to show the date, is a breach. If you have not laid the turf yet, the exemption does not help you.
How do I check if my postcode is in the South East Water Kent TUB area?
South East Water's Kent area covers the ME and CT postcodes and parts of TN. South East Water and Southern Water both operate in some overlapping postcode areas in Sussex and the South East, so use the postcode checker on the South East Water website or our UK postcode checker to confirm. If your supplier is South East Water in Kent, the TUB applies; if Sussex/Surrey/Berkshire South East Water or any other company, it does not.
Counties South East Water Serves
County guides exist for the areas listed below. For any other part of the South East Water area, use the postcode checker rather than a county page:
Not sure your area is covered? Is there a hosepipe ban in my area? or use the postcode checker.
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Source of record: South East Water's own status page, last checked 2026-08-03. We do not publish a hosepipe ban on the strength of a news report. Updates posted as water companies declare, modify, or lift restrictions.