Hosepipe Ban.co.uk

Is there a hosepipe ban in Belfast?

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No. There is no hosepipe ban in Belfast right now. You can use a hosepipe as normal.

Belfast is supplied by NI Water under Northern Ireland's own rules, not the England and Wales ban regime; its main source is Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the British Isles.

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BT is supplied by

NI Water

No restrictions

No hosepipe ban applies. You can use a hosepipe and sprinkler as normal.

Areas covered: Northern Ireland.
NI WaterStatus checked just now

We are an unofficial tracker, so NI Water’s own notice is the version that legally applies to you.

What a hosepipe ban prohibits, and the fine

Temporary Use Bans are made under section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, which lists the eleven prohibited uses at s.76(2). The Water Use (Temporary Bans) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2231) defines them. A company cannot add to that list, so the eleven uses below are the same in Belfast as anywhere else in England and Wales.

  • 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
  • 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 maximum is level 3 on the standard scale, currently £1,000, under section 76(5) of the Water Industry Act 1991. It is not a fixed penalty the company issues itself, and enforcement in practice begins with a warning.

What this means at your address

A hosepipe ban is set by your water company, not your council, and most bans cover only part of a company’s area. Belfast is billed by NI Water, so its rules are the ones that apply here, but the boundary can run through a town: your postcode is the only certain answer.

Whatever the status, a watering can, a bucket and collected rainwater are never restricted. See what you can still do and how the fine works.

Common questions

Is there a hosepipe ban in Belfast?

No. Belfast is supplied by NI Water, and no hosepipe ban applies here right now.

Which water company supplies Belfast?

Belfast is supplied by NI Water. Your water bill confirms your supplier, and a ban is set per company, not per town, so the boundary can run through a town.

What is the fine for breaking a hosepipe ban?

Up to 1,000 pounds, imposed by a magistrates' court on conviction, not a fixed penalty set by the water company. In practice enforcement starts with a warning.