East of England hit with first hosepipe bans in 30 years as heatwave breaks UK temperature records

Millions of households in the East of England and beyond are under hosepipe restrictions as a prolonged heatwave pushes water supplies to the brink. The bans, some the first in decades, follow record-breaking temperatures that have shattered benchmarks set in the scorching summers of 1976 and 2020.

Record-breaking heat

Friday saw temperatures exceed 35C, making it the sixth day this year to reach that threshold, a new annual record. The UK has now recorded nine days at or above 34C in 2026, eclipsing the previous high of seven days reached in both 1976 and 2020. June 2026 was the hottest June on record for England, with a peak of 37.7C in Lingwood, Norfolk, on 26 June, according to the Met Office. The previous June record of 35.6C was set in Southampton in 1976.

Amber and yellow heat health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency remain in place across large parts of England until 21:00 BST on Sunday.

Hosepipe bans cascade across the country

Anglian Water, which serves more than five million customers in the East of England, announced a hosepipe ban on Friday morning, effective from 01:00 BST on Saturday 11 July. Cambridge Water followed with a temporary ban for its 350,000 customers, its first such restriction in three decades, issued on Thursday afternoon. South East Water had already imposed a ban covering parts of Kent from 3 July, while Southern Water brought in restrictions for around one million customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on 10 July. Affinity Water announced its own ban would commence at 00:01 BST on 17 July across parts of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Surrey, and north and west London.

This year has been exceptionally hot and dry, and we're already into the third heatwave of the summer. Every day of sustained hot weather increases the challenge of balancing supply and demand, and we are now at the point where we need to ask customers to help by hanging up the hosepipe, letting lawns go brown, cars go dirty and using water even more wisely to help protect the environment and ensure water remains available for all customers.

How residents are adapting

In Cambridgeshire, Sandra Davis uses a hosepipe four or five times a day to cool her 16-year-old rescue dog Lili, an exemption Anglian Water permits for animal welfare. She said she would continue even if it were not allowed. At Beach Babies nursery in Landbeach, Michelle Rodbourne turned the ban into a teaching moment about sustainability, showing children how to water plants with small watering cans filled from indoor taps instead of the garden hose. Joan Sampson from Tolleshunt Darcy, Essex, said she funnels every scrap of household water (even her cat's bowl water) into her garden as her water barrels run dry.

The hose pipe will obviously be removed, and the children will see that process happening. The children will be taking care of their growing patch by using their small watering cans to get water from the water butts if there is any left, or from the taps inside the nursery.

Drought warnings grow

UK officials are keeping a close watch on East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall, where the risk of drought is becoming increasingly likely. The Environment Agency noted that dry weather depletes reserves while hot weather drives consumption higher, amplifying pressure on water companies. Affinity Water reported a 20% rise in demand in recent weeks, prompting its decision to act. Anyone breaching an official hosepipe ban can face a fine of up to £1,000.