Starting Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Thames Water will enforce a hosepipe ban affecting approximately 1.1 million customers across southern England, including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire. The ban covers all postcodes beginning with OX, GL, SN, as well as RG4, RG8, and RG9, but notably excludes London. This move comes amid one of the driest and warmest springs in over a century, coupled with England's warmest June on record, prompting urgent action to protect dwindling water supplies.
The Environment Agency has placed the Thames Water service area into its prolonged dry weather category, signaling an increased risk of drought. Water for these regions is primarily sourced from the River Thames and stored at Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire. However, recent dry and warm conditions have caused river flows to drop significantly, reducing the volume of water that can be pumped into the reservoir. Currently, Farmoor Reservoir sits at 92% capacity, below average for this time of year, and with no substantial rainfall forecasted, maintaining storage levels is expected to be challenging.
Nevil Muncaster, the strategic water resources director at Thames Water, explained the gravity of the situation: "This has been a challenging spring and summer with big spikes in customer demand during hot, dry days and very little rainfall to replenish local supplies in the Thames Valley." He added, "Given the continued warm, dry weather we do not anticipate that the situation will improve any time soon, so we have to take action now." The company is urging customers in affected areas to refrain from using hosepipes for activities such as watering gardens, washing cars, filling paddling pools, or cleaning windows. However, businesses where water use is essential, like garden centres and car washes, are exempt from the ban.
Thames Water’s announcement follows similar restrictions already in place elsewhere. Yorkshire Water imposed a hosepipe ban on July 11 affecting 5.5 million residents, and South East Water followed suit on July 18, impacting 1.4 million customers in Kent and Sussex. These bans come after record water consumption levels and the driest springs in decades. South East Water reported supplying 680 million liters of water on June 30, which was over 100 million liters above the typical daily summer average.
The UK has experienced a third heatwave in 2025, with temperatures exceeding 30°C in several regions, including parts of London, Surrey, and Perth in Scotland. Forecasts for mid-July predicted temperatures of 25°C to 26°C in central and eastern England, with some areas potentially reaching 30°C. This heatwave has not only increased water demand but also exacerbated water loss through evaporation from rivers and lakes, further straining resources.
Data over the weekend of July 12-13 showed England’s reservoirs at their lowest levels in a decade, with an average of 76% full in June 2025, slightly below the 77% recorded during the severe drought year of 2022. Other water companies have also reported significant drops: Severn Trent’s reservoir levels fell from 83.5% on May 23 to 71.1% on June 30, United Utilities’ reservoirs are at 65% compared to 84.5% last year, and Yorkshire’s reservoirs are at 55.8%, more than a quarter below normal for this time of year.
The prolonged dry conditions and soaring temperatures have prompted the UK government’s national drought group to convene, coordinating responses among farmers, water companies, and experts. Hosepipe bans could remain in place for months, potentially lasting until aquifers recharge and reservoirs refill. Yorkshire Water has indicated its ban might continue through winter.
Despite the urgency, the hosepipe ban has sparked controversy. The GMB trade union criticized Thames Water’s decision, pointing to the company’s significant water leakage problems. Gary Carter, a GMB national officer, called the ban "disgraceful," highlighting that Thames Water leaked 200 billion liters of water last year, equivalent to 570 million liters wasted daily—the worst record in the country. Carter blamed "crumbling infrastructure and non-existent investment" for the situation and condemned the imposition of a hosepipe ban amid rising water bills.
In response, a Thames Water spokesperson asserted that leakage levels are at their "lowest ever," with engineers fixing around 650 leaks weekly using advanced technologies such as acoustic loggers and smart meters. They acknowledged, however, that "more work to do" remains to improve the network's resilience.
Environmental concerns also play a significant role in managing water supplies. The company stressed the importance of balancing water extraction with protecting local wildlife habitats. Reduced groundwater flow into the River Thames and the need to manage abstraction carefully are vital to maintaining ecological health in the region.
To help mitigate the crisis, Thames Water encourages all customers, not just those in banned areas, to conserve water by turning taps off while brushing teeth, taking shorter showers, and allowing lawns to go dry. Every drop saved contributes to easing pressure on the environment and securing essential water supplies for the coming months.
Looking ahead, the government and water companies have proposed building nine new reservoirs by 2050 to bolster water security, recognizing that no major reservoirs have been completed in England since 1992, shortly after water sector privatisation. As climate change continues to bring unpredictable weather patterns, such infrastructure projects may become increasingly vital.
This summer’s hosepipe ban is a stark reminder of the challenges facing water management in the UK, balancing human needs, environmental protection, and aging infrastructure amid a changing climate. For now, the message is clear: conservation is critical as communities brace for a potentially long and dry season ahead.
