Yorkshire Water Hosepipe Ban 2025

Introduction

In response to the driest spring in over a century and plummeting reservoir levels, Yorkshire Water has imposed a hosepipe ban—officially a Temporary Use Ban (TUB)—across its supply area from 11 July 2025. Affecting some five million customers, the restrictions aim to preserve drinking-water reserves, protect river ecosystems, and maintain essential services. This guide explains why the ban was needed, what it covers, and how you can adapt to comply while safeguarding gardens, allotments, businesses, and households.

1. Why the Ban Was Needed

Yorkshire experienced the driest spring in 132 years, with just 15 cm of rainfall between February and June. As a result, reservoir storage fell to 55.8% capacity—over 25 percentage points below normal for this time of year. The Environment Agency formally declared a drought in June, triggering the need for water-use restrictions to secure supplies and protect the environment (theguardian.com).

2. Legal Authority and Scope

Under the Water Resources Act 1991, the Environment Agency grants water companies the power to implement Temporary Use Bans when supply thresholds are breached. Yorkshire Water’s Drought Plan—published in coordination with regulators—lays out the triggers, communication protocols, and enforcement measures for the ban (yorkshirewater.com).

3. When and Where It Applies

Start date: 00:01 on Friday 11 July 2025
Coverage: All premises receiving clean water from Yorkshire Water (domestic and non-household).
Exclusions: Customers with wastewater from Yorkshire Water but clean-water supply from another company (e.g., Severn Trent) should check with their supplier (yorkshirewater.com).

4. Prohibited Activities

During the ban, the following uses of a mains-connected hosepipe are prohibited:

Watering gardens, lawns, and ornamental plants
Filling or topping up paddling pools, hot tubs, and swimming pools
Cleaning private vehicles, boats, walls, windows, paths, patios, or other artificial surfaces
Recreational hose-based activities (e.g., water fights) (yorkshirewater.com)

5. Permitted Activities

You may continue these activities without a hosepipe:

Hand-watering with kettles, watering cans, or buckets filled at the tap
Using hoses connected to stored water (rain barrels or greywater)
Essential domestic uses (drinking, cooking, bathing, flushing toilets)
Livestock watering, firefighting, and medical uses
Business uses if directly related to core commercial operations (e.g., cleaning commercial vehicles, maintaining installations within 28 days of planting) (castlewater.co.uk).

6. Exemptions for Vulnerable and Priority Customers

Yorkshire Water extends exemptions to:

Blue Badge holders and customers on the Priority Services Register (medical or mobility needs)
Non-household customers using water for essential business purposes under permit
NAV customers (Non-household water supply users) contacted directly by their NAV provider (itv.com).

7. Alternative Water Sources

To maintain outdoor watering without a mains hose:

Rainwater harvesting: Install water butts (200–500 L) or larger tanks (1,000–5,000 L) with downpipe connections.
Greywater systems: Divert shower and laundry rinse water (free of harsh chemicals) via diverter valves into sub-surface irrigation.
Private supplies: Boreholes and wells are exempt but require regular water-quality testing for food crops.
Bulk tanker deliveries: Suitable for large-scale requirements (e.g., sports pitches, nurseries).

8. Top Water-Saving Tips

Deep, targeted watering using drip or soaker lines fed from stored water
Mulching: 5–8 cm of straw, wood chips, or leaf mould reduces evaporation by up to 75%
Shade cloth (30–50%) over vulnerable beds to lower plant water stress
Drought-tolerant plants: Mediterranean herbs, succulents, and native perennials
Fix leaks promptly: A single dripping tap can waste thousands of litres per month
Smart controllers: Irrigation timers that adjust based on weather forecasts
Greywater reuse for ornamentals and non-edible plants
Collect kitchen water: Use rinse water for houseplants

9. Monitoring and Updates

Yorkshire Water drought page: Live reservoir levels, FAQs, and detailed ban rules (yorkshirewater.com)
Environment Agency Drought Portal: National map of all active TUBs
SMS/Email alerts: Sign up on Yorkshire Water’s site for instant notifications
Social Media: Follow Yorkshire Water on X (Twitter) and Facebook for real-time announcements

Conclusion

The Yorkshire Water Hosepipe Ban 2025 is a vital measure to conserve scarce water resources amid historic drought conditions. By understanding the ban’s scope, permitted activities, exemptions, and alternative water sources, you can stay compliant, avoid fines, and keep plants and livestock healthy. Proactive adoption of water-saving strategies—rainwater harvesting, mulching, drip irrigation, and greywater reuse—will not only see you through this ban but strengthen your long-term resilience against future restrictions.