Is There a Hosepipe Ban in Wales Right Now? - Garden and Allotment Tips and Advice

Is There a Hosepipe Ban in Wales Right Now?

Introduction
With England and Wales enduring its driest spring since 1893, water companies across the UK have been forced to consider or impose Temporary Use Bans (TUBs), commonly known as hosepipe bans. In Wales, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is closely monitoring reservoir and river levels—but as of July 2025, there is no active hosepipe ban anywhere in Wales. This guide explains what a TUB entails, outlines Welsh Water’s current status, reviews past bans in Wales, and offers practical advice for staying informed and conserving water.

1. What Is a Temporary Use Ban (TUB)?

A Temporary Use Ban is a legally enforceable restriction under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 that prohibits non-essential outdoor uses of mains water via hosepipes or sprinklers—such as garden watering, vehicle washing, patio cleaning and filling non-recirculating pools—when water sources fall below predefined “drought-alert” thresholds (Wikipedia).

2. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Supply Area

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water serves around 1.4 million properties across all of Wales, supplying water drawn from reservoirs, rivers and groundwater sources. Its network covers:

North, Mid & South Wales (including Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham)
Parts of the Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion uplands
Residents across these regions rely solely on Welsh Water for their mains supply.

3. Current Status: No Active Ban

As of July 2025, Welsh Water has not introduced a hosepipe ban anywhere in its network. The only area under heightened scrutiny is Mid & South Ceredigion, which moved to “Developing Drought” status on 12 June 2025—Stage 2 of six in Welsh Water’s Drought Plan, with no restrictions imposed at this stage (Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water).

4. Historical Bans in Wales

August 2022: A TUB came into force at 08:00 on 19 August 2022 for Pembrokeshire and parts of Carmarthenshire, lasting until 25 October 2022 to protect Teifi Pools and other local resources (Pure West Radio).
Prior to 2022, Wales had not seen significant hosepipe bans since the late 1980s, thanks to generally higher rainfall.

5. What Triggers a Hosepipe Ban

Welsh Water’s five-stage Drought Plan monitors:

Reservoir Levels: Must stay above “red alert” percentages.
River Flows & Groundwater: Minimum abstraction rates to protect ecosystems.
Demand Forecasts: Peak summer usage relative to available resource.

If any indicator breaches its critical threshold and cannot recover through voluntary measures, Welsh Water may escalate to Stage 3 – Temporary Use Ban, enforcing non-essential use restrictions.

6. What a Ban Would Prohibit

Under a TUB, you would not be permitted to use hosepipes or sprinklers for:

Watering private gardens, lawns, borders and ornamental beds
Washing cars, boats, caravans or other vehicles
Cleaning patios, paths, driveways and outdoor furniture
Filling or topping up swimming pools, paddling pools or non-recirculating water features (Wikipedia)

7. Exemptions & Essential Uses

Even with a ban in force, the following remain permitted:

Health & Safety: e.g., firefighting, dust suppression in construction, hygiene cleaning
Animal Welfare: watering livestock, domestic pets or aquaculture
Food Production: irrigating edible crops on allotments when a watering can is impractical
Rainwater Systems: hosepipes connected solely to rainwater butts or harvesting tanks (Wikipedia)

8. Penalties for Non-Compliance

Breaching a hosepipe ban in Wales can lead to:

Fixed Penalty Notice: Up to £100 on the spot
Court Fines: Up to £1,000
Enforcement Actions: Possible disconnection of hosepipe fittings
Offenders risk prosecution under the Water Industry Act 1991 as amended by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

9. How to Check Your Status

Postcode Checker: Use the “Check Your Postcode” tool on the Welsh Water drought page to see any local warnings (Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water).
Online Alerts: Register for email or SMS drought updates via your Welsh Water MyAccount.
News & Media: Follow Dŵr Cymru’s official channels and local press for stage-change announcements.

10. Preparing & Saving Water

Even without a ban, adopting water-wise habits helps delay or avoid restrictions:

Harvest Rainwater: Top up butts and use watering cans for garden care.
Drip & Soaker Hoses: Attach to rainwater tanks for targeted irrigation.
Mulch Heavily: Retain soil moisture and reduce watering frequency.
Early-Morning Watering: If hand-watering, do so before dawn to minimise evaporation.
Fix Leaks Promptly: A single dripping tap wastes up to 30 L/day—repair without delay.
Plant Drought-Tolerant Species: Lavender, sedum, rosemary and ornamental grasses thrive on minimal water.

Conclusion
There is no active hosepipe ban in Wales at present—only a “Developing Drought” alert for Mid & South Ceredigion. By understanding what a TUB entails, monitoring your local status, and embracing water-saving practices, you can help protect Welsh reservoirs and rivers, and be ready to comply should restrictions become necessary.