South East Water
STATUTORY NOTICE FOR TEMPORARY USE BAN
REMOVAL OF EXEMPTIONS
Further to the Temporary Use Ban imposed by South East Water with effect from 25 July 2026, and pursuant to the continuing powers conferred by sections 76 and 76A–C of the Water Industry Act 1991, South East Water Limited gives notice that from the beginning of 9 October 2026 at 00:01 am, throughout Sussex Supply Region, as shown in the map below, it prohibits the uses of potable water supplied by it (that is water treated to drinkable standards) set out below. Those subject to the temporary use ban will be those in receipt of a supply of water from South East Water and including those who are served by other retailers or NAVs.
(a) Watering a garden using a hosepipe
(b) Cleaning a private motor-vehicle (or a trailer for such a vehicle) using a hosepipe
(c) Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe
(d) Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe
(e) Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
(f) Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use (such as hot tubs)
(g) Filling or maintaining a domestic pond (manmade or natural) using a hosepipe
(h) Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain (including a cascade or any other display of moving water, and includes filling by permanent plumbing)
(i) Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe
(j) Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
(k) Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe
The following activities will still be exempted from restrictions:
You will not need to apply for an exemption but South East Water may question your use of an exemption if reports of hosepipe usage are received or evidence of a hosepipe is detected.
Any person who contravenes any of these prohibitions is guilty of an offence, and may be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000.
| AFTER | BEFORE | ||
| Restricted Hosepipe Use (What you can’t do) | Exemption (Pre-approved exemptions for certain categories of people or uses of water – if one of these applies to you then you can use your hosepipe for this reason) | Exemption (Pre-approved exemptions for certain categories of people or uses of water – if one of these applies to you then you can use your hosepipe for this reason) | |
| A “hosepipe” means anything designed, adapted or used to serve the same purpose as a hosepipe. This means that garden sprinklers and irrigation systems (outside of the exception), connected to the mains water supply, are all considered to be hosepipes, together with anything attached to them like pressure washers. | |||
| Any restricted use | Where using a hosepipe for any of the restricted purposes is required for unavoidable health and safety, such as removing or minimising any risk to human or animal health or safety, or preventing or controlling the spread of causative agents or disease, this will not be restricted. | Where using a hosepipe for any of the restricted purposes is required for unavoidable health and safety, such as removing or minimising any risk to human or animal health or safety, or preventing or controlling the spread of causative agents or disease, this will not be restricted. | |
| Any restricted use | Using a hosepipe where the welfare and/or health and safety of animals including fish is paramount will not be restricted | Using a hosepipe where the welfare and/or health and safety of animals including fish is paramount will not be restricted | |
| Any restricted use | Using a hosepipe that is connected to a water butt or other recycled water storage system will not be restricted | Using a hosepipe that is connected to a water butt or other recycled water storage system will not be restricted | |
| a | Watering a garden using a hosepipe A “garden ” is a private or public garden, a lawn, a park; a grass verge; an area of grass used for sport or recreation; an allotment used for non-commercial purposes; and any other green space. A garden is not: ● agricultural land, ● land used in the course of a business for growing any crops, fruits, vegetables or other plants for sale or commercial use; ● land used for National Plant Collection; ● a temporary garden or flower display (i.e. on show to the public for no more than 7 days); or ● Plants in an outdoor pot or in the ground under cover (under cover being in a greenhouse, outbuilding or under a permanent canopy). | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Using a hosepipe to water an area of grass or outdoor artificial surfaces used for sport or recreation (on the active strip/ playing area only – not the whole grounds) when undertaken outside of daily peak hours that occur 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm. This is a Statutory Exemption for health and safety reasons. Exemptions also apply when using: ● Drip or trickle irrigation watering systems, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, that are not handheld, that place water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface, without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist; a fixed watering system; use of watering cans and not hoses. | ● using a hosepipe to water an area of grass or outdoor artificial surfaces used for sport or recreation (on the active strip/ playing area only – not the whole grounds) when undertaken outside of daily peak hours that occur 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm. ● drip or trickle irrigation watering systems, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, that are not handheld, that place water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface, without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist; a fixed watering system; use of watering cans and not hoses |
| b | Cleaning a private motor-vehicle (or a trailer for such a vehicle) using a hosepipe | Statutory Exemptions apply for: ● A public service vehicle, as defined in Section 1 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981(c). ● A goods vehicle, as defined in Section 192 of the Road Traffic Act 1988(d). | |
| c | Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Watering plants (crops, vegetables or fruit) that are grown or kept for sale or commercial use, National Plant Collections or temporary garden or flower displays. Exemptions also apply when using: ● Drip or trickle irrigation watering systems, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, that are not handheld, that place water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface, without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist; a fixed watering system; use of watering cans and not hoses. | ● watering plants (crops, vegetables or fruit) that are grown or kept for sale or commercial use, National Plant Collections or temporary garden or flower displays; ● drip or trickle irrigation watering systems, fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, that are not handheld, that place water drip by drip directly onto the soil surface or beneath the soil surface, without any surface run off or dispersion of water through the air using a jet or mist; a fixed watering system; use of watering cans and not hoses |
| d | Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe | Statutory Exemptions apply for: ● Cleaning any area of a private boat which, except for doors or windows, is enclosed by a roof and walls. ● Using a hosepipe to clean a private leisure boat for health and safety reasons. | |
| e | Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool (this would include constructed, non-inflatable hot tubs) | Statutory Exemptions apply for: ● Filling or maintaining a pool where necessary in the course of its construction. ● Filling or maintaining a pool using a water conservation recycling system or hand-held container which is filled with water drawn directly from a tap. ● Filling or maintaining a pool that is designed, constructed or adapted for use in the course of a programme of medical treatment. ● Filling or maintaining a pool that is used for the purpose of decontaminating animals from infections or disease. ● Filling or maintaining a pool used in the course of a programme of veterinary treatment. ● Filling or maintaining a pool in which fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity. An Exemptions also applies: ● When the pool is within places of worship or community pools and when they are used as part of a religious ceremony. | Where you do this with a water conservation recycling system or hand held container ● filling or maintaining a permanent swimming pool where necessary in the course of its construction or where it is designed, constructed or adapted for use in the course of medical treatment ● when the pool is within places of worship or community pools and when they are used as part of a religious ceremony. |
| f | Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use (such as hot tubs of all kinds and inflatable paddling pools) | No Statutory Exemptions apply. | |
| g | Filling or maintaining a domestic pond (manmade or natural) using a hosepipe | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Filling or maintaining a domestic pond in which fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity | |
| h | Where this is for the welfare of the fish or aquatic animals in the pond Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain (including a cascade or any other display of moving water, and includes filling by permanent plumbing) | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain which is in or near a fish-pond and whose purpose is to supply sufficient oxygen to the water in the pond in order to keep the fish healthy. An Exemptions also applies: ● Where this is used as part of recognised religious practices Where this is used as part of recognised religious practices | |
| i | Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Using a hosepipe to clean the walls or windows of domestic premises for health or safety reasons. | where this is done as a service to customers in the course of a business or to clean public service or goods vehicles |
| j | Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Using a hosepipe to clean paths or patios for health or safety reasons. | where this is done as a service to customers in the course of a business or to clean public service or goods vehicles |
| k | Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe | A Statutory Exemption applies for: ● Using a hosepipe to clean an artificial outdoor surface for health or safety reasons. | where this is done as a service to customers in the course of a business or to clean public service or goods vehicles |
People who are registered with the South East Water’s Priority Service Register will be granted an automatic exemption to any of the restrictions and will receive notification of this directly. If you believe you should be on the Priority Services Register please go to www.southeastwater.co.uk/psr to register.
Representations concerning any of these removals of exemptions may be made in writing by 9 October 2026 to the Head of Water Resources at South East Water, Rocfort Road, Snodland, Kent ME6 5AH or TUBs@southeastwater.co.uk.
If, as a result of such representations, South East Water decides to vary any terms of the prohibition, a further notice will be published. Subject to this, the prohibitions will have effect from the beginning of date and will remain in force until further notice.
Further details concerning the prohibitions and actions concerning the current drought may be found on South East Water’s website at www.southeastwater.co.uk/TUBs