Are car washes open during hosepipe bans? Rules explained

Are car washes open in the hosepipe ban?  (Credit: Pxhere)

Where are hosepipe bans in the UK in 2026?

Millions of households across England are now facing hosepipe restrictions after a prolonged spell of hot, dry weather and increased demand put pressure on water supplies.

Several water companies have introduced Temporary Use Bans (TUBs), commonly known as hosepipe bans, affecting parts of southern, eastern and south-west England.

Thames Water introduced a hosepipe ban affecting more than 10 million customers across London and the Thames Valley. The restrictions came into force on Thursday 23 July after low rainfall, high temperatures and increased demand placed pressure on supplies.

Customers are banned from using hosepipes for activities including watering gardens and allotments, washing cars, filling swimming pools and paddling pools, cleaning patios and driveways, and using pressure washers.

South East Water has extended hosepipe restrictions beyond Kent to customers in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire as dry conditions and high demand continued to affect supplies.

Affinity Water has introduced restrictions across its central region, affecting customers in areas including Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and north London.

Anglian Water has brought in a Temporary Use Ban across its region, covering customers in the East of England, apart from its Hartlepool supply area.

Cambridge Water has introduced a hosepipe ban for all customers as it works to manage demand following the prolonged dry spell.

Southern Water has introduced restrictions for customers in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight due to pressure on water resources.

South West Water has introduced a limited hosepipe ban affecting customers in parts of Devon and Dorset supplied by a specific water treatment works where demand pressures have increased.

Other water companies, including Essex & Suffolk Water and Severn Trent Water, are monitoring conditions closely but have not introduced full hosepipe bans across their regions.

Under a hosepipe ban, customers are generally not allowed to use a hosepipe connected to mains water for activities such as watering gardens, washing vehicles, cleaning outdoor surfaces, filling swimming pools or cleaning windows. Some exemptions apply, including certain medical, disability, business and animal welfare uses.

Latest from UK water companies (22/07/26)

 

Water company	Area served	Current position	Notes
South East Water	Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire	Hosepipe ban in force	Restrictions introduced in Kent before being extended to Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire due to continued dry weather and high demand.
Thames Water	London, Thames Valley, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and surrounding areas	Hosepipe ban in force	Temporary Use Ban began on 23 July 2026 and affects around 10 million customers supplied by Thames Water.
Affinity Water	Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and north London	Hosepipe ban in affected areas	Restrictions introduced in parts of the region due to high demand and falling groundwater levels. Not all customers are affected.
Anglian Water	East of England	Hosepipe ban in force	Temporary Use Ban introduced across the region due to prolonged dry weather and pressure on supplies.
Essex & Suffolk Water	Essex and Suffolk	No hosepipe ban	Water-saving advice remains in place, but no Temporary Use Ban is currently active.
Southern Water	Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent and Sussex	Hosepipe ban in affected areas	Restrictions apply in affected areas due to pressure on water resources.
South West Water	Devon, Cornwall and parts of Dorset	No hosepipe ban	Supplies are being monitored and customers are encouraged to use water wisely.
Wessex Water	Dorset, Somerset, Bristol and Wiltshire	No hosepipe ban	No Temporary Use Ban currently in force.
Severn Trent	Midlands	No hosepipe ban	Monitoring conditions and encouraging customers to use water responsibly.
United Utilities	North West England	No hosepipe ban	No current restrictions. Customers are advised to use water wisely.
Yorkshire Water	Yorkshire	No hosepipe ban	No hosepipe restrictions currently in force.
Northumbrian Water	North East England	No hosepipe ban	No current restrictions. Customers encouraged to save water.
Hafren Dyfrdwy	Parts of Wales and the English border	No hosepipe ban	No current restrictions.
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water	Wales	No hosepipe ban	No current restrictions.
Scottish Water	Scotland	No hosepipe ban	No hosepipe restrictions currently in force.
Northern Ireland Water	Northern Ireland	No hosepipe ban	No official restrictions currently in place.

Can I use a hosepipe to wash my car if there is a ban?

No. You are not permitted to use a hosepipe to wash your car – unless it is connected to a water butt that would be expected to collect contents through rainwater – and not the mains.

Can I use a jet washer to clean my car in a hosepipe ban?

No – if the jet washer is connected to a mains-fed hosepipe, you cannot use it to wash your car or other purposes.

Although, if connected to a water butt with rain water or from washing etc, then you should be okay to use it.

Are there exemptions that allow me to wash my car using a hosepipe during a ban?

Yes. If you own a commercial vehicle – such as a taxi or hearse used for funerals – you will be able to use a hosepipe to wash your car.

You can also use a hosepipe at home to clean your car if it is fed by a private borehole or artificial lake or pond that you happen to own.

Can I wash my car using a bucket?

It is allowed to use a sponge and bucket to wash your car. You can also use ‘grey water’ such as bathwater to fill up a butt and connect a hose to it if you have the facilities to do so.

Are car washes open during hosepipe bans?

Businesses and commercial premises are exempt from the restrictions, so heading to a hand car wash, automated car wash or commercial self-service jet wash is still permitted.

Expect car washes to be very busy during the duration of the ban due to the inability of most people to be able to wash their vehicles at home.

Will car wash prices increase due to the hosepipe ban?

A Thames Water ban, for example, could affect as many as 15 million people - putting strain on car washes currently operating in London. This could also see prices rocket as demand soars. Something that will be the same in other areas with such bans on domestic hoses. 

How much water will it save by banning hosepipes for washing cars?

Using a hosepipe to wash a car can require as much as 500-litres of water, whereas using a bucket will use 30-40 litres of the wet stuff.

Will an official drought declaration mean car washes close?

No, not immediately. An official 'drought' declaration will mean more hosepipe bans across the country, but commercial car washes will be able to continue operating - but home use of hoses to wash your vehicle will be banned unless you fall into the exemptions. 

When could commercial car washes be forced to close?

If conditions worsen, an 'extreme drought' could be declared. This would result in local restrictions that could easily see car washes shut down, or limited in number as they would be considered non-essential water use. 

Can mobile car valeters operate during a hosepipe ban?

Yes, mobile car valeters can usually continue operating during a hosepipe ban, as the restrictions generally apply to domestic customers using a hosepipe connected to mains water.

Professional car cleaning businesses may be allowed to use hoses and pressure washers if they have commercial exemptions or are using water from alternative sources. However, the rules can vary depending on the water company and the type of restriction in place.

Drivers should check with their local water supplier if they are unsure whether a mobile car wash service is permitted during a hosepipe ban.