South East Water announces change to current hosepipe restrictions in Sussex and applies for a Non-Essential Use Ban

To protect water supplies and the environment in Sussex, South East Water is today (Friday, 2 October) implementing further hosepipe restrictions for customers by removing exemptions, except for ones that are for health and safety purposes.

This means that any customers who were exempt from hosepipe restrictions, under the current temporary use ban, will no longer be able to use their hosepipe.

For a full list of what is and isn’t covered please visit the website here(opens in a new tab).

The drinking water company has also applied for a Non-Essential Use Ban (NEUB) today, which targets commercial and non-household water use and requires approval by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. You can find out more about the NEUB application here(opens in a new tab).

The Met Office is provisionally reporting summer 2026 to be the hottest on record*, while July in England was the driest since records began 190 years ago. Between March and August, Sussex only received just over 56 per cent of expected rainfall.

South East Water’s Ardingly Reservoir serves 228,000 customers in Haywards Heath and the surrounding areas in Sussex. Despite recent rainfall, the reservoir is only 22.8 per cent full and has triggered the next level of South East Water’s Drought Plan(opens in a new tab). As a result, further steps need to be taken to protect water supplies and the environment.

Nick Price, Head of Water Resources at South East Water, said: “The prolonged period of warm and dry weather we have experienced during the spring and summer has made the ground very dry and reduced flows in local streams and rivers. We need more rain to moisten the ground, filter deep down into the underground aquifers, and boost the rivers and reservoirs that supply customers’ drinking water.

“These conditions have resulted in the water levels of our Sussex reservoirs becoming extremely low, especially Ardingly, which has moved further into drought. This is why we need to take these extra steps now. Our absolute priority is making sure there is always enough water for everyone’s essential daily needs.

“We recognise how challenging these restrictions are for our Sussex customers and our priority is to restore long-term resilience to break this cycle. We are focused on delivering our long-term business plan, designed to build a more stable supply for customers and secure water resources for the future.

“I would like to thank everyone who has already taken steps to try and reduce their overall water use.”

On Friday, 28 August, South East Water applied for a Drought Permit in Sussex and it was granted by the Environment Agency on Tuesday, 29 September. The permit allows the drinking water company to reduce the amount of additional water that is released from Ardingly Reservoir into the Shell Brook tributary of the River Ouse and reduce the minimum flow of water that must remain in the river at Barcombe Mills after water has been taken from it for customers.