Affinity Water announce hosepipe ban
The ban will be introduced across the company's central region.
Last updated 10th Jul 2026
Affinity Water has announced it will introduce a hosepipe ban across its central region from 0001 on Friday July 17.
Customers across Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London will not be able to use hosepipes for watering their garden, washing cars, outdoor areas or windows or filling up swimming or paddling pools
The utility said the region has seen a continued pattern of hot, dry weather and demand for water is higher than would normally be expected – up 20% on average.
The company is currently receiving less water than usual from Grafham Water reservoir, which would usually provide around 10% of the region’s supply, it added.
While Affinity Water is allowed to take a set amount of water each year from the environment, such as rivers and underground aquifers – the firm said it is at risk of demand exceeding what its licence allows it to supply, which would put further strain on local water sources and increase the risk of disruption to customers over the coming months.
The company said the ban will remain in place until water resources recover sufficiently and demand returns to a sustainable level.