The UK has recorded its eighth day at or above 34C in a single calendar year, breaking the previous high of seven days set in 1976 and 2020, as the third heatwave of the summer forces millions of water customers to face hosepipe bans. June 2026 was the hottest on record for England, the Met Office confirmed, with the highest temperature of 37.7C set in Lingwood, Norfolk, on 26 June — surpassing the previous record of 35.6C set in Southampton in June 1976.
With authorities keeping a close watch on East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall, water companies are scrambling to manage increasingly tight resources. Anglian Water, the UK’s largest with more than 5 million customers, brought in a ban on Saturday 11 July, covering most of the East of England. Dr Geoff Darch, head of strategic asset planning for Anglian Water, said: “This year has been exceptionally hot and dry, and we’re already into the third heatwave of the summer. Every day of sustained hot weather increases the challenge of balancing supply and demand, and we are now at the point where we need to ask customers to help by hanging up the hosepipe, letting lawns go brown, cars go dirty and using water even more wisely to help protect the environment and ensure water remains available for all customers.”
“Millions face hosepipe bans as UK records eighth day above 34C and drought fears escalate.”
Affinity Water introduced its own ban on Friday 10 July, covering large areas of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Surrey. London and Essex are also affected in some areas, though customers are advised to check with their drinking water provider for exact details. South East Water had already imposed an official temporary ban for much of Kent on Friday 3 July, just a week after putting one in place during June’s heatwave. Southern Water confirmed a ban for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from Friday 10 July, while Cambridge Water announced a temporary ban for its 350,000 customers — the first time in three decades it has introduced such a restriction.
Households across the country have been advised to limit use, with some companies requesting a pause on hosepipe activity short of a full ban. UK officials have warned that drought conditions are becoming increasingly likely in some parts of the country. Anyone caught breaching an official ban can be issued a fine of up to £1,000.
