Five UK Water Companies Impose Hosepipe Bans on 5 Million as Heatwave Sets 35C Record
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 11
Five UK Water Companies Impose Hosepipe Bans on 5 Million as Heatwave Sets 35C Record
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 11
Summary
More than 5 million people face hosepipe bans after five UK water companies tightened restrictions during a heatwave that is still under heat-health alerts across nearly all of England.
Friday hit 35.2C in Derbyshire, lifting 2026's total to six days above 35C and nine above 34C — both calendar-year records — while demand surged and dry conditions deepened.
Anglian Water starts its first ban in a decade on Saturday, Southern Water's restrictions for 1 million households in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are already in force, and Cambridge Water announced its first ban in 30 years.
Southern and eastern England were especially dry in spring, with some areas including Suffolk and Kent getting only about one-third of normal rainfall, helping drain supplies despite a wetter-than-average winter nationally.
Temperatures should ease slightly this weekend but still reach 33C on Saturday and 30C on Sunday, with forecasters expecting heat to build again next week and 30C conditions to persist for up to 12 straight days.