South East Water will extend a hosepipe ban to 2.4 million customers across Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire from Saturday, after the utility warned last week of material uncertainty over its future. The restrictions add to an existing ban in Kent, covering the company's entire service area amid hot weather that has produced 28 days exceeding 30°C in 2026.
The move follows a 14-day spell with no recorded rainfall in central and south-east England from July 2 to July 15, the longest unbroken dry run this century. Reservoir storage across England stands at 79 percent, five percentage points below the long-term average, with Blagdon among several sites at exceptionally low levels.
The company raised prices by an average of 7 percent from April, increasing the typical annual bill to £324. Water UK said the increases were necessary to fund vital upgrades and address spillage concerns.