South West Water Hosepipe Ban Status 2026
Published: July 14, 2026 · Updated:
TUB Active: The whole South West Water supply area, being Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly in force since 8 August 2026
- Status
- In force
- In force since
- 8 August 2026
- Area
- Devon, Cornwall, Scilly + parts of Dorset and Somerset
- Maximum fine
- £1,000 maximum per violation
- Last verified
- 2026-08-07
South West Water announced on Friday 7 August 2026 that its hosepipe ban extends from named Mid and East Devon towns to its entire supply area: all of Devon, all of Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly. It comes into force at 00:01 on Saturday 8 August 2026, and the company is asking customers to follow the restrictions immediately rather than waiting for the start. This supersedes the earlier restriction: from 14 July a zone-level ban covered Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, Honiton, South Molton, Dunkeswell, Axminster and Lyme Regis while the rest of the region, including Cornwall, Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay, was genuinely unrestricted. That is no longer the case. South West Water supplies around 1.8 million people.
This replaces the earlier Mid and East Devon ban. From 00:01 on Saturday 8 August every South West Water customer is covered, including Cornwall, Plymouth, Exeter, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly, which the July ban did not cover.
Coverage Area
South West Water supplies Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly. From 00:01 on Saturday 8 August 2026 the Temporary Use Ban covers all of them: every South West Water customer, not a set of named towns.
South West Water supplies around 1.8 million people. It has not published a separate figure for how many are covered by this ban, and we will not estimate one: the company defines it as all of its customers rather than by a headcount.
Until 8 August this was a zone-level ban around named Mid and East Devon towns, and places like Exeter and Plymouth genuinely were outside it. That distinction ends at 00:01 on Saturday: the ban now follows South West Water's supply area, not a town list. Dorset and Somerset are covered only in part, because South West Water supplies only part of those counties and Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water supply the rest, so a Dorset or Somerset address needs the postcode checker rather than an assumption.
Not sure of your supplier or whether your address is covered? Use the postcode checker. Official site: South West Water Ltd.
Why South West Water Declared This Restriction
South West Water's region normally benefits from Atlantic-driven rainfall, which is what made the July zone-level ban unusual: it was driven by demand on specific treatment works rather than by regional shortage. The August extension is different in kind. South West Water cites a prolonged period of hot and dry weather with record temperatures, rainfall well below seasonal averages over many months, and continuous high demand putting pressure on reservoirs and available water resources. The Environment Agency has declared half of England, including the South West, in drought, and the Met Office says England and Wales provisionally recorded their driest July on record, with southern England seeing its driest month in a record going back to 1836. Drought status is an Environment Agency designation and a separate instrument from the ban itself, which remains South West Water's own Section 76 decision.
What is Banned, What is Allowed
Restricted uses: South West Water says the ban covers anything connected to the mains supply, including sprinklers, irrigation systems and pressure washers as well as hosepipes. You must not use one to water a garden, wash a car, fill a paddling pool, swimming pool or hot tub, clean a patio or driveway, or clean walls and windows. Water can still be used as normal for drinking, flushing toilets, washing and cooking.
From South West Water's own exceptions page: the ban does not apply if you are on its Priority Services Register and cannot make reasonable adjustments because of a health condition or disability, if you are a Blue Badge holder, where water is needed to protect human health and safety, or for animal welfare including pets, livestock and fish. Customers on the WaterSure tariff for medical reasons are also automatically exempt. Water that is not from the mains, such as a water butt or other recycled storage, is not restricted at all, and there is no restriction on using a watering can. Specific garden exceptions: turf laid within the last 28 days, newly bought plants for their first 14 days, trees, hedges and saplings planted within the last planting season where a watering can is not feasible, food crops at home or on a private allotment on the same condition, drip or trickle irrigation with a pressure-reducing valve delivering water to the soil, and sports pitches where watering is necessary, outside the peak hours of 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm.
Exemptions differ between companies. Before relying on one, check South West 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.
Fines and Reporting
Maximum fine: £1,000 maximum per violation.
Breaching a Temporary Use Ban is an offence under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, and a court may impose a fine of up to £1,000. From 8 August it applies across the whole South West Water supply area rather than in named Devon towns.
Reporting channel: South West Water customer services.
UK Lawn Care During South West Water Restrictions
From 8 August this applies wherever South West Water supplies you, so Cornwall, Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay are now included. The ban restricts the hosepipe, not the water: a watering can is unrestricted, and a hosepipe fed from a water butt or other recycled storage is explicitly outside the ban. Turf laid within the last 28 days may still be watered. An established lawn does not need rescuing anyway. UK lawns are cool-season grasses that brown off in drought to protect their crowns and green up within weeks of autumn rain, so stop feeding, raise the mower to 50 to 60 millimetres and leave the clippings.
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 Devon or Cornwall right now?
Yes, across the whole region from 00:01 on Saturday 8 August 2026. South West Water announced on Friday 7 August that its ban extends to every customer in Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly, and it is asking people to follow the restrictions immediately. Between 14 July and 8 August the ban covered only named Mid and East Devon towns, which is why older coverage says Cornwall and Plymouth were exempt. They are not exempt from 8 August.
Are Plymouth, Exeter, Torbay and Cornwall covered by the South West Water ban?
Yes, from 00:01 on Saturday 8 August 2026. All four were genuinely outside the earlier ban, which ran from 14 July and covered named Mid and East Devon towns only. The extension removes that distinction: the ban now follows South West Water's supply area rather than a list of towns, so if South West Water supplies your water you are covered.
When does the South West Water hosepipe ban start?
At 00:01 on Saturday 8 August 2026. Some local coverage describes this as midnight on Friday 7 August, which is the same instant worded loosely. South West Water's own page says 00:01 on Saturday 8 August, and it asks customers to start following the restrictions straight away rather than waiting.
Does the ban cover all of Dorset and Somerset?
No, only the parts South West Water supplies. Wessex Water and Bournemouth Water supply much of Dorset and Somerset, and this ban applies to South West Water customers only. Because the boundary follows the supply network rather than the county line, a Dorset or Somerset address needs the postcode checker rather than an assumption either way.
What is the fine for breaching the South West Water hosepipe ban?
Up to £1,000, imposed by a court under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991. From 8 August it applies across the whole supply area rather than only in the named Devon towns.
What can I still do under the South West Water ban?
A watering can is unrestricted, and water that does not come from the mains, such as a water butt or other recycled storage, is not covered at all. South West Water also exempts Blue Badge holders, customers on its Priority Services Register who cannot reasonably adjust, and WaterSure customers with a medical need. Turf laid in the last 28 days, newly bought plants for 14 days, and food crops where a watering can is not feasible may still be watered, and drip or trickle irrigation delivering water to the soil is allowed.
Why has South West Water extended the ban to the whole region?
The company cites a prolonged period of hot and dry weather with record temperatures, rainfall well below seasonal averages over many months, and continued high demand putting increasing pressure on reservoirs. The Environment Agency has declared half of England, including the South West, in drought, and the Met Office says England and Wales provisionally recorded their driest July on record. The July ban was a demand problem at specific treatment works; this one is a regional resource problem.
Counties South West Water Serves
County guides exist for the areas listed below. For any other part of the South West 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.
← Back to UK water restrictions overview
Source of record: South West Water's own status page, last checked 2026-08-07. We do not publish a hosepipe ban on the strength of a news report. Updates posted as water companies declare, modify, or lift restrictions.