Second water company announces hosepipe ban

Southern Water has become the second water company to announce a hosepipe ban this year, after South East Water put restrictions in place for customers in Kent last week.

Water users in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be subject to the ban from 00:01am on Friday 10 July, while other Southern Water customers are asked to ‘use water wisely’.

Meanwhile, Anglian Water – which supplies water across the East of England – has now said that it cannot rule out a ban, having previously said it had no plans to introduce one.

Water companies are blaming the warmest spring on record as well as recent and forecast heatwaves for the pressure on supplies and hosepipe bans.

Landscaping impacts

In England and Wales, the power to introduce a hosepipe ban is given to water companies in Section 36 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and expanded on in the Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010.

Broadly, these laws allow water companies to ban various domestic uses of a hosepipe, with specific exemptions for commercial and other non-domestic uses.

However, they also provide a degree of flexibility and are open to interpretation, so it is always worth contacting the relevant water company if you are unsure on the legality of a specific use.

Southern Water has published a useful FAQ page on its website, addressing the most common scenarios for landscapers and clients.

For instance, the ‘plants and gardens’ section of the FAQ page says that ornamental plants can be watered using a hosepipe within 28 days of planting, though customers are urged to use water wisely while doing so.

In addition, the FAQ says that garden centres can continue to use a hosepipe to water plants for commercial sale, but those maintaining trees in roadside planters have to find an alternative method such as a watering can or drip/trickle irrigation.

If you need further clarity on what is and is not permitted under the ban, please contact Southern Water directly.

Looking ahead

BALI will continue to monitor developments and communicate any further droughts and hosepipe bans to members and, in turn, their clients.

Meanwhile, our policy team is renewing efforts to secure greater flexibility for landscaping under hosepipe bans as well as a more consistent approach across water companies.

BALI has previously discussed the benefits of sustainable garden design, rainwater harvesting systems, and water solutions more broadly.