Essex & Suffolk Water brought a Temporary Use Ban into force at 00:01 on Monday 3 August 2026, across its entire supply area and around 2 million customers.
Its own homepage carries the notice plainly: "We are introducing a Temporary Use Ban, also known as a hosepipe ban, across our supply area."
This is the company's first hosepipe ban since 1997, which makes it the most significant single restriction of the 2026 season so far. It takes the number of UK water companies with a ban in force to nine.
Essex & Suffolk had run a voluntary water-saving appeal since the start of July. An appeal carries no legal force and no fine; a Temporary Use Ban carries both, with a maximum penalty of 1,000 pounds imposed by a magistrates' court. If you are an Essex & Suffolk customer, the position changed overnight.
One boundary to watch. Essex & Suffolk shares the CO, IP, NR and SS postcode areas with Anglian Water, which has had its own ban in force since 11 July. Two houses on the same street can be on different suppliers. The company named on your water bill is the one whose notice applies to you, so check the bill rather than the postcode.