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Thames Water has announced a temporary hosepipe ban for London.
The restriction, also known as a temporary use ban (Tub), will come into effect at 00.01am on Thursday, and affects around 10 million customers in the capital and the South-East.
However, the utility is asking households to follow the ban immediately ahead of its official start date.
The ban was revealed in a statement on Thames Water’s website on Tuesday morning.
It read: “A temporary hosepipe ban has been announced for customers who receive their water supply from Thames Water.
“The hosepipe ban does not apply to customers who only receive wastewater services from Thames Water. However, your water supplier may have its own restrictions in place.”
It said the measure “is not a step we take lightly”.
A worker waters the grass on Parliament Square on July 6, 2026GettyThames Water blamed the ban on a combination of “prolonged dry weather and heatwaves”, higher than normal demand for water and a lack of forecasted rain.
Thames Water said use is currently 10% above normal in the Thames Valley and the Home Counties, as well as 7% above normal in London.
The high demand coincides with ongoing hot temperatures that followed three unprecedented heatwaves in three months and the driest spring on record for England and Wales.
More extreme weather could be on its way as a fourth heatwave could be headed for London over the next ten days, according to BBC Weather. Not a drop of rain is forecast in the capital until at least July 31, worsening the drought conditions.
Nevil Muncaster, director of strategic water resources at Thames Water, said: “We would not be taking this step unless it was necessary to protect water supplies for everyone and the environment.
“While there is enough water for essential use, we need to reduce non-essential outdoor demand to keep taps flowing.
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“Many customers have already reduced their water use and that support has made a difference. Thank you to everyone who has already changed their daily habits.”
Mr Muncaster added that Thames Water teams are working around the clock to keep water moving, fix leaks and support customers.
“We will keep the situation under close review and lift restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so,” he added.
What can’t you do?
The restrictions apply to hosepipes, sprinklers and pressure washers for any non-essential activities.
It means watering gardens, cleaning cars, filling paddling pools or topping up hot tubs are banned from Thursday, July 23.
What’s allowed?
You can still use watering cans, buckets, and water butts.
There are usually exemptions for some customers and businesses such as window cleaners. Thames Water says it will publish a full list of exemptions in a legal notice going out on Thursday.
What happens if you break the rules?
Failing to stick to the hosepipe ban could result in a £1,000 fine. You can check The Standard’s interactive map here to find out if a ban is active in your area.