Hosepipe Ban in Sussex 2026: Is Sussex Affected?
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Parts of Sussex are affected. Sussex 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.
Sussex IS coming under a hosepipe ban, but via SOUTH EAST WATER, not Southern Water. South East Water's ban covers its Sussex areas from 25 July 2026 (the River Cuckmere has been protected by pausing abstraction, dropping Arlington Reservoir to its Drought Plan trigger). Southern Water's Sussex customers are NOT under Southern's 2026 ban, which covers Hampshire and the Isle of Wight only. If you have seen 2022-era 'Kent and Sussex' hosepipe ban stories recirculating, they describe the 2022 ban, not this one. Check your postcode for your supplier.
Check your exact address
Supply boundaries do not follow county lines. The only reliable answer is your postcode.
Check your postcode →Who supplies Sussex
Sussex 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.
South East Water
TUB Active: Kent in force since 3 July 2026; Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire in force from 25 July 2026Dates: Kent in force since 3 July 2026; Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire in force from 25 July 2026
Banned: 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.
Still allowed: 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.
Fine: £1,000 maximum per violation.
Full detail on the South East Water page.
Southern Water
TUB Active: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in force since 10 July 2026Dates: Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in force since 10 July 2026
Banned: Watering a garden or plants with a hosepipe; using a sprinkler system; cleaning a private motor vehicle with a hosepipe; cleaning walls, windows, paths and patios with a hosepipe; filling or maintaining swimming pools, paddling pools, hot tubs, ponds and ornamental fountains; cleaning private leisure boats.
Still allowed: Watering with watering can or bucket always allowed. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses exempt. Hand watering with shut-off nozzle exempt. Priority Services Register customers with medical needs may be exempt. Commercial purposes (e.g. commercial vehicle washing) exempt. Newly laid turf may be watered by hosepipe for 28 days after laying, but Southern Water requires customers to request permission first, which is a stricter condition than most companies apply. Collected rainwater is unrestricted.
Fine: £1,000 maximum per violation.
Full detail on the Southern Water page.
Southern Water customers: no hosepipe ban
Southern Water serves a large share of Sussex households, and recycled coverage often attributes a Sussex ban to it. Its 2026 Temporary Use Ban covers Hampshire and the Isle of Wight only, and the company has confirmed it does not apply to Sussex customers. The Sussex restriction arriving on 25 July 2026 is South East Water's.
No ban as of 18 July 2026, verified against Southern Water's own water resources page. A ban can be declared at any time, so check that page if you are reading this later.
What you can still do in Sussex
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 Sussex?
Sussex is served by more than one water company (South East Water and Southern 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.
I live in Sussex, is my water company banned?
It depends which company supplies you, and Sussex has more than one. South East Water and Southern Water have a hosepipe ban covering the parts of Sussex they supply, each with its own dates and exemptions. Southern Water supplies other parts and has NOT declared a ban, so its customers face no restrictions and no fine. Our postcode checker returns every company that could serve your postcode, but supply boundaries do not follow postcodes, so it cannot single out your individual address. The definitive answer is the supplier named on your water bill.
Which water company supplies Sussex?
More than one: South East Water, Southern Water and Southern Water. Their supply areas follow historical infrastructure, not the county boundary, so Sussex 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 Sussex 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 Sussex postcodes such as BN, RH, TN 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