Households in Kent face fines of up to £1,000 for washing cars with hosepipes during the first days of July. South East Water has announced a hosepipe ban affecting nine regions from July 3, requiring thousands of households to stop using mains-connected hosepipes and sprinklers for non-essential purposes, including car washing.
Which areas are affected?
The ban covers nine regions in Kent, though specific areas have not been listed individually. South East Water said the measure is necessary due to extreme temperatures driving a surge in water demand, while storage reservoirs are running low in several parts of the county.
Matthew Dean, head of operations control at South East Water, explained: “We had planned for this given the weather forecasts by increasing output at our water treatment works across our supply area and putting extra water into the network. Our fleet of tankers has been working 24/7 putting additional water into the network in areas where demand has been extremely high over recent days. However, due to the nature of water supply networks, some customers on higher ground or at the far end of the network may have low pressure or supply interruptions, especially at peak use times.”
What is banned and what are the penalties?
The hosepipe ban prohibits the use of hosepipes or sprinklers connected to the mains water supply for non-essential jobs. This includes watering gardens, cleaning cars, filling paddling pools, and similar activities. Breaches can result in a £1,000 fine. The company has asked customers to use water only for essential purposes: drinking, washing, and cooking.
In an email to customers, South East Water urged: “Think about where you can swap tap water for recycled water. Reuse water from baths, showers and sinks in the garden … Act now, please do all you can to cut down on everything but essential water use, which is drinking, washing and cooking.”
Other water companies urge conservation
Other water companies have also encouraged customers to reduce usage. Wessex Water posted on X: “Grass is tougher than it looks. It naturally copes during hot, dry spells,” adding that “with warmer weather returning [reducing lawn watering] is an easy way to save water.”
Helen Wakeham, chair of the National Drought Group and director of water at the Environment Agency, said: “Heatwaves will continue to be a concern as they can drive spikes in water demand, so we need to continue to work collaboratively to use our finite water wisely.”
Impact on residents
The ban comes as temperatures in the South East are forecast to remain high for several days. South East Water warned that some customers on higher ground or at the end of the network may experience low pressure or supply interruptions, especially during peak use times. The company is asking for cooperation to keep taps flowing locally.
