Cambridge Water announces temporary hosepipe ban to protect water supplies and local chalk streams
Posted: 09 July 2026
Cambridge Water, which supplies drinking water to around 350,000 customers across Cambridgeshire and parts of Bedfordshire, is asking for its customers to help limit water use during the exceptionally hot weather. It has announced a temporary hosepipe ban to help protect local water resources and the region’s internationally important chalk streams.
The temporary ban will come into effect immediately and will be enforceable from 1am on Friday 17th July.
Following one of the driest springs in recent years and exceptionally warm weather throughout summer so far, demand for water across the Cambridge region has risen to record levels. Customers typically use around 86 megalitres of water a day - enough to fill more than one million baths. In recent weeks, demand has exceeded 112 megalitres a day, a 30% increase and the equivalent of an extra 300,000 baths every day. This level of demand cannot be sustained over a prolonged period.
Cambridge Water’s teams are working around the clock to maintain supplies, but local water resources are now under significant pressure. During periods of extreme demand, water can be used faster than it can be treated and distributed.
The groundwater sources that supply customers also support the region’s rare chalk streams, which are particularly vulnerable during prolonged dry weather. Reducing the water we need to take from the local environment is crucial to help protect local rivers. That's why reducing non-essential water use now can make a real difference.
Whilst Cambridge Water has continued to maintain some of the lowest leakage levels in the industry, implemented its drought plan, and taken steps to maximise available supplies, current conditions mean further action is now needed. Cambridge Water remains committed to playing its part and is asking customers to support these efforts by using water wisely and following the temporary restrictions.
Elena Karpathakis, Managing Director, Cambridge Water said:
"We are incredibly grateful for the support of our customers at this crucial time. We know how important reliable water supplies are to the communities we serve, and we are asking customers to work with us to reduce non-essential water use while this period of exceptionally hot and dry weather continues.
"This is not a decision we have taken lightly – it is the first time in more than thirty years, since the UK drought of 1995, that we have had to introduce a temporary hosepipe ban.
“We have been doing everything possible to maintain supplies, but demand for water is currently at record levels. We have a responsibility to protect the groundwater sources and chalk streams that are such an important part of the local environment.
“We know customers expect us to do everything we can before asking them to do more. That's why we have increased our capability to find and fix leaks as quickly as possible, even though we already have some of the lowest leakage levels in the industry. We also continue to work closely with our regulators and local partners to explore every available option to maintain water supplies.
"Every litre saved helps. If each of us reduces our water use a little, together we can make a significant difference.“
Temporary hosepipe bans are highly effective in reducing water use. Hosepipes use large volumes of water in a short time. Limiting use of hosepipes in this way, and using watering cans instead, can reduce demand by around 5%, equating to five million litres saved per day.
Whilst the temporary hosepipe ban is needed to help manage current conditions, as the region continues to grow and faces increasing challenges from climate change, Cambridge Water is also investing in long-term solutions to secure future water supplies. This includes spending £224m over the next five years to protect water supplies, including:
- Developing new sources of water, including a transfer of water from Anglian Water’s Grafham Reservoir and the proposed Fens Reservoir. These will increase the water supply available and increase resilience to drought.
- Reducing leakage by a further 20% in its Cambridge region through finding and fixing more leaks, replacing over 50km of ageing pipeline at risk from leakage.
- Giving customers more power over their water bills and usage by rolling out more meters across its region over the next five years.
Whilst the hosepipe ban will apply to most customers, there are some exemptions for customers who rely on hosepipe use for health, safety, or operational needs. These include customers with serious medical conditions or disabilities on the Priority Services Register and businesses where hosepipe use is essential for operations.