Drought Restrictions FAQs

We're encouraging everyone to do their bit and help us save water to protect our water supplies. Under the ban, the following activities are now restricted:  

• Watering a garden using a hosepipe
• Cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a hosepipe 
• Watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises using a hosepipe   
• Cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe
• Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool or hot tub 
• Drawing water, using a hosepipe, for domestic recreational use  
• Filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe
• Filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain
• Cleaning walls, or windows, of domestic premises using a hosepipe   
• Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe
• Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe.  

The TUB will be in place until we have had enough rain, and the river flows go back up to near normal levels. 

No, not directly. Due to a lack of rain we’re asking you to limit your water use because we need to urgently reduce the demand on the River Test and River Itchen, which is where some of your fresh water supply comes from. 

To make sure that your water supply isn't disrupted we apply for drought permits and drought orders, which mean we can continue to take water from these rivers but at a lower level than normal. In simple terms, the permits and orders reduce the amount we can take.

The TUB is focused on restricting household water use, but it also includes certain non-essential activities relating to upkeep of grounds of public service buildings and non-commercial workplaces.

For example, activities such as filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain, watering gardens or cleaning paths and patios using a hosepipe at a workplace are restricted. However, premises that have ponds with fish and other wildlife are not affected by the ban.  

The TUB does not impose restrictions on essential and commercial uses of water. 

If you notice a neighbour, family or friend, in the affected areas, using water for the restricted activities please gently remind them of the restrictions in place and direct them to our website for more information.  

If everyone reduces their water use, this will help reduce pressure on our water sources.

To make sure that your water supply isn't disrupted we apply for drought permits and drought orders, which mean we can continue to take water from rivers but at a lower level than normal. In simple terms, the permits and orders reduce the amount we can take.

Implementing TUBs will help to protect our rivers as it reduces the demand on water supply from these sources. Our drought permit also means we're putting in place extra environmental monitoring checks to ensure the habitat is healthy.   

We’ve also started a £9.5 million suite of environmental monitoring and improvement projects that are being developed and delivered by local environment organisations. One is working with Wessex Rivers Trust to build the resilience of the River Test and River Itchen. For example, Wessex Rivers Trust has implemented nine improvement schemes on the River Test in 2021 and we have pinpointed another eight sites for improvement work in autumn 2022.  

Yes, there is evidence to support that introducing TUBs does make a difference. If we all work together and reduce our water use, then water demand decreases and reduces the pressure on supply from the rivers.   

We're working hard to protect Hampshire’s chalk streams while maintaining water supplies, which of course includes reducing leakage and helping our customers be more water efficient.

We’re also developing new sources of water to reduce the amount that needs to be taken from the environment during a drought.

Our ‘Water for Life – Hampshire’ programme will transform the way we source, treat and supply water across the county and includes a proposal to use water recycling technology to top up the new reservoir at Havant Thicket that we’re building in partnership with Portsmouth Water.

Please visit our Water for Life Hampshire page for more information.

We're asking our customers to help us by abiding by the hosepipe ban.

The Act does give us powers to fine customers who ignore it up to £1,000. We hope it won’t come to that and everyone will play their part to protect our local water sources. 

Blue badge holders are automatically exempt from several restrictions and do not need to apply for an exemption.

Customers who are on our Priority Services Register for reasons of reduced mobility are exempt. These customers need to apply for an exemption.

Please follow the following link for full details and look in the ‘What are you restricted from doing’ section of the page. Drought restrictions checker (southernwater.co.uk) 

People should not put themselves at risk unnecessarily. If you know someone who will be struggling with the restrictions, let us know. 

You can use your hosepipe to clean animals and their areas, e.g. yard or stable. We'd ask you to waste as little water as you can when you do this. 

Yes. The Temporary Usage Ban covers the watering of gardens with a hosepipe, which also covers allotments.

You may, however, use a hose on your allotment if you are watering food crops.  

However, there are ‘exemptions’ for those with limited mobility. These include: 

• If you're a Blue Badge holder, then you are automatically exempt from the restriction  
• If you're on our Priority Services Register (PSR) for reasons relating to reduced mobility then you can request an exemption.  If you are not on the PSR, but feel you should be, you can join using the following link: Priority Services Register (southernwater.co.uk) 
• You may continue to water allotments with a bucket or with a watering can.  You may also water allotments using rainwater from a water butt through a hosepipe. 

We’ve been increasing the size of our leakage team, to help us respond to leaks quickly. In Hampshire alone, we’re proactively fixing 100 leaks a week and making a further 150 repairs reported by customers. Across our area, our find-and-fix teams are using some innovative technology to make progress.  You can find out more about our work on our leakage pages.  

While the majority of postcodes within the areas affected by the Temporary Use Ban (TUB) will be recognised by the Restrictions Checker, there may be some instances where you will get the message ‘We were unable to find your postcode’.

If this is the case, then you can still work out whether you're affected:

• If your fresh (tap) water is supplied by Southern Water, and you live in Hampshire or the Isle Of Wight, then you'll be affected by the TUB. The map above the Restrictions Checker also highlights the areas that we supply fresh water to customers within Hampshire and the Isle Of Wight so please check to see if you live within the areas marked in orange. If you remain unsure as to whether we supply your fresh water, then please check one of your recent bills, or you can contact us to check.
• To find out what the restrictions and exemptions are, click on ‘Hosepipe restrictions (temporary use ban)’ underneath the postcode search bar. Click on the + symbol in the grey boxes on the right-hand side of the page to find a list of exemptions.  

Not all activities are covered by the temporary ban, e.g. cleaning the windows of non-domestic buildings or washing public service vehicles. However, ALL water users are urged to save water.

Should the drought situation deteriorate, further restrictions may be introduced for these activities.

• Private car 
• Taxi 
• Limousine 
• Wedding Car 
• Private hire minibus 
• Private hire coach 
• Any other vehicle including those used in the course of running a business (e.g. white van) that are not covered by the categories listed in question 26, below.  

Yes, you can, but not using a hosepipe.  

Under the terms of the hosepipe ban, you can request permission to water newly laid turf for 28 days with a hosepipe. However, we ask that you respect the spirit of the ban and think about how you can avoid wasting water in the process. 

Plants can be watered with shower, bath, kitchen and washing machine water (from rinse cycles).

To minimise bacterial growth, this 'grey' water should be saved for only 24 hours, unless filtered through a reed bed or professionally designed system.  

An exception would be on any edible crops, as there may be some contaminants in the left over water. 

Softened tap water and dishwasher water contain salts that can damage soil structure, particularly if rich in clay. However, short-term use of softened water should not cause serious damage. 

There is lots of helpful information about re-using water for gardening on the Royal Horticultural Society website: www.rhs.org.uk 

Not with a hose. You can refill it with a hand-held container. This restriction doesn't apply if you're filling a pool for the following purposes:

• Where necessary in the course of its construction;  
• Where designed, constructed or adapted for use in the course of a programme of medical treatment;  
• Used for the purpose of decontaminating animals from infections or disease; 
• Used in the course of a programme of veterinary treatment;  
• Used for the purposes of a business;  
• A pool in which fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity.  

Most water fountains operate by recycling a small amount of water. If this is the case for yours, you may continue to operate it.

You cannot, however, refill the fountain with water from the mains unless it is in or near to a fishpond and its purpose is to supply sufficient oxygen to the water in the pond to keep fish healthy.  

Yes. You should keep your pond topped up to a minimum level to safeguard the fish but please remember that tap water needs conditioning before it is used to top up a pond.  

Providing the filling of the pool is during the course of its construction, a significant repair or a refurbishment, then this does not fall within the restrictions. The pool should be filled or refilled by the specialist business contracted to carry out the work.  

No. However, we will consider requests for exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The work must be part of a maintenance contract. Please note that exceptions may be subject to conditions and will be withdrawn if the drought worsens.

Yes, the restrictions in place currently only apply to domestic swimming pools.

Yes, if you use a hosepipe or similar apparatus to clean a private motor vehicle, unless you are a business specialising solely in hand car-washing, using a hosepipe as part of your process.

Yes. Taxis, licensed minicabs, company cars and garage forecourt cars for sale are covered by the restrictions on using a hosepipe. You can continue to use a bucket to wash your vehicle(s).

Yes, unless hosting a regional, national or international event. We appreciate the importance of not letting critical playing surfaces become damaged, so the watering of a key playing area is permitted only, for instance cricket squares, golf greens (including fairways and tees), bowling greens, and tennis courts. Watering other parts using a hosepipe or sprinkler is not permitted.

Garden centres are not covered by the restrictions for the watering of plants for commercial sale. We would, however, encourage the use of a watering can as an alternative where possible.

Please note, filling ornamental displays with water supplied by us is prohibited unless this is necessary to supply sufficient oxygen to the water in a pond to keep fish healthy.

You may not use a hosepipe to clean the windows of domestic premises, unless you are using a water-fed pole in the course of a business.

Hosepipes can still be used for cleaning windows of commercial premises but please make every effort to conserve water.  

Yes, the ban does not restrict this. However, we would ask you to consider using water efficient systems.  

The restrictions do not affect the washing of goods vehicles (including their trailers) or public service vehicles. However, buses and minibuses that are used for employees and do not operate as public service vehicles, are covered by the ban.  

Planes are not covered by the restrictions but private leisure boats, including jet skis and any other vessel which is designed, constructed or adopted to move through, in or over water are, unless they are used in the course of a business or made available to the public. We would ask all our customers to use water sparingly.  

While we’d prefer customers to use a (low water use) pressure washer, there are some vehicles that can still be washed with a hosepipe, including: 

• Public buses 
• Any vehicles covered by an organisations “Goods Vehicle Operator’s License” 
• Military vehicles 
• Snow ploughs and gritters 
• Emergency service vehicles (including those used by gas, electricity, water and telephone companies) 
• Hearses and accompanying funeral cars 
• Recovery vehicles (only if they’re used exclusively for that purpose) 
• Tractors and agricultural vehicles 
• Mobile exhibition vehicles 
• Catering vehicles 
• Mobile shops 
• Mobile medical screening vehicles 
• Any vehicle of over 3.5 tonnes gross plated weight or (where there is no plated weight) an unladen weight of more than 1,525kg to transport goods for hire or reward or in connection with a trade or business 

Your agricultural activities will not be affected by the restrictions but you must observe all of the prohibited uses. We would encourage you to use water efficient systems.

Yes, as long as the water is not being used for any of the purposes which are restricted.