Thames Water announces hosepipe ban for millions of people

Green golf surrounded by scorched grass in South Gloucestershire (Picture: Ben Birchall/PA Wire)

Thames Water has become the latest supplier to announce a hosepipe ban after one of the driest starts to the year on record.

The company is introducing restrictions across Oxfordshire,Gloucestershire,Wiltshire and Berkshire from next Tuesday.

Large parts of the UK are now officially in drought,including in Yorkshire where a hosepipe ban came into effect on Friday.

Under the new rules,residents are barred from using hosepipes to wash cars,water gardens or fill paddling pools. Anyone caught flouting them can face fines of up to £1,000.

Reservoirs are just 76% full – lower than in the 2022 drought year,which was one of Europe’s hottest on record.

What’s driving the dry weather?

Scientists warn that extreme weather events – including heatwaves,droughts and sudden downpours – are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Warmer air holds more moisture,meaning hotter,drier summers often follow wetter winters.

The UK’s recent extreme heat was far more intense and widespread than previous comparable heatwaves

While the UK has had a string of wet winters in recent years,rapid evaporation and increased demand during summer heatwaves can quickly deplete surface water and groundwater supplies. The Met Office has confirmed 2025 is tracking as one of the warmest years on record.

Thames Water said climate pressures are already forcing long-term changes to water management – including increased investment in leak detection,water transfers between regions,and a planned new reservoir in Oxfordshire.