Home / Environment / Hosepipe Ban Lifted in Southern England After Wet Weather Boost
Hosepipe Ban Lifted in Southern England After Wet Weather Boost
31 Oct
Summary
- Hosepipe ban lifted in Hampshire and Isle of Wight
- Recent wet weather helped ease water shortages
- Southern Water investing in resilient water supply
On October 31, 2025, Southern Water announced the end of the hosepipe ban for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The restriction on household water use was put in place in July 2025 following record dry and hot weather across the UK.
The recent wet weather in September and October has helped ease the water shortages, but officials from the national drought group, which includes the Met Office, regulators, government, water companies, and other organizations, have warned that drought conditions are likely to continue into 2026. They stated that without sustained and widespread precipitation in the coming months, a consistent recovery from drought remains uncertain going into the winter.
Southern Water said the restrictions in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight helped reduce pressure on two internationally important chalk streams in the area - the Test and Itchen rivers, which supply drinking water to most of their customers. The company is now investing heavily to build a more resilient water supply, which includes developing alternative water resources, such as the UK's first new reservoir in more than 30 years at Havant Thicket and a series of water recycling projects.
