Warning to Brits as these 6 things break hosepipe ban and could lead to £1k fine
Hosepipe bans are put in place by utility companies typically to tackle ongoing supply issues amid warmer weather.
But what can you not do under a hosepipe ban, and what are the consequences for breaking it?
Large fines could be issued to those flaunting the rules, so here is all you need to know.
There are a number of rules you have to follow during a hosepipe ban or face a large fine (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A hosepipe ban, officially called a Temporary Usage Ban (TUB), does what it says on the tin and works to ban the use of hosepipes over a period of time.
As explained by the Consumer Council for Water, the ban stays in place until the "situation is improved" and is usually up to the discretion of the utility company.
It stops several activities involving water usage in the garden and beyond.
Yorkshire Water, which put in place the first hosepipe ban of the year, said users will need to stop using hosepipes for:
Watering the garden or plants in your garden at home
Cleaning private vehicles or boats
Filling or maintaining a swimming pool, paddling pool, hot tub or cold-water plunge pool at home
Filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain
Cleaning your home's walls or windows yourself
Cleaning paths, patios or artificial outdoor surfaces
Typically, there are some exceptions to the rules, which may differ per utility company and will be outlined on their website.
Yorkshire, it's time to put the hosepipes down for a bit. This will help our region's reservoir levels recover and protect Yorkshire's water resources throughout the summer months, following the driest spring for 132 years, which led to the region being declared in drought.… pic.twitter.com/HwldS76sG8
— Yorkshire Water 💧 (@YorkshireWater) July 11, 2025
During hosepipe bans, you can usually still carry out these activities using water from a bucket or a watering can, or water that is not sourced from mains water.
If you are caught breaking a hosepipe ban, you could be fined up to £1,000.
As Yorkshire Water explains: "The legislation gives a court power to fine customers who ignore it up to £1,000, but we hope it won't come to that."
It added that it "hopes customers would respect the restrictions", but will enforce it if not.
The utility continued: "We will be asking everyone to adhere to the restrictions. If we are told repeatedly about someone breaking the restrictions, the first thing we do is remind them of their obligations.
"This is usually enough. However, if they continue to use a hosepipe, we may escalate our enforcement accordingly."
Meanwhile, South East Water, which announced its hosepipe ban in Sussex and Kent on Friday (July 11), said "prosecution is a last resort" but also warned of £1,000 fines at worst.
As of the morning of Saturday, July 12, there is just one hosepipe ban in place, by Yorkshire Water, for all of its customers in the area.
A second, which South East Water announced on Friday (July 11), will not come into effect until Friday, July 18.
If you want to find out if your area has a hosepipe ban in place, first find your supplier by using Water UK's postcode checker.
Recommended reading:
Can you use a watering can during a hosepipe ban? Temperatures set to soar
What are the rules for hosepipe bans in the UK? Activities households must avoid
Met Office issues heatwave warning amid 'increased chance' of hot summer in UK
From there, you can contact your water supplier or check their website for any restrictions.
There are chances for more hosepipe bans, with the UK's biggest water company, Thames Water, previously saying it was 'not confident' it could avoid bringing in restrictions this summer.
Other major water companies, while not bringing in bans at the moment, are understood to be keeping it under review.
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