Isle of Wight households face a fine of £1,000 if caught using a hosepipe from today (Monday) as the indefinite usage ban comes into force this morning.
Last week, Southern Water confirmed that on the Isle of Wight – and across Hampshire – a Temporary Use Ban (TUB) would be put in place for the foreseeable future, in a bid to limit excessive water usage in the region and to reduce the demand on the River Test and River Itchen in Southampton. Both rivers are down 24% from normal flows for this time of year.
TUB restrictions will remain in place until the region has had enough rain and the river flows are back to a normal level. The last time a ban was in place, back in 2022, it last for 3 months.
However, Southern Water’s decision to impose a hosepipe ban has been branded ‘shameless’ by the GMB Union, which says the company continues to leak more than 100million litres of water every day on average.
As of 09:00today (21st July 2025), Isle of Wight households are prevented from doing the following:
- Watering the garden or plants using a hosepipe
- Cleaning a private motor vehicle or 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, windows, paths, patios or artificial outdoor surfaces at domestic premises using a hosepipe
Anyone caught using a hosepipe during this period is liable for prosecution through the criminal courts under Section 36 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
There are, however, some exemptions to the ruling, including if you are a blue badge holder. The exceptions typically permit commercial activity such as watering plants for sale or running a car wash.
Grass, lawns and plants can still be watered if done so with a watering can or container, whilst paddling pools can be filled using the same method.
You can also use a hosepipe if you’re using an approved drip or trickle irrigation system fitted with a pressure-reducing valve (PRV) and timer.
If you have recently laid a new lawn you can apply to Southern Water to water the new turf for a period of 28 days.
Thank god we have this weather warning for torrential rain on this morning, on this very sunny day…
May I mention that on the southern water website it says that you are allowed to use a hosepipe to water your allotment or vegetable garden… thankyou.
you are also allowed to “use your hosepipe to clean animals and their areas”.
I’ll just throw a goldfish into the kids paddling pool then.
“Im just cleaning the animal, sir…”
In fact, if I see an inspector, I will throw the dog in the pool also for good measure.
“The dog’s rear area needs cleaning…”
I understand that, due to the water companies’ failure to invest in infrastructure, rather than paying shareholder dividends and executive’s bonuses,.. there is a shortage of water & they are trying to force people to use less…
but these hose-pipe bans seem to be a knee-jerk reaction and are not really thought out well at all…
I have a greenhouse, (in which I grow tomatoes & chillies etc,, and for propagation of plants of all sorts for the garden. Obviously the greenhouse needs watering a lot as being under-cover, does not get any of the infrequent rain we’re getting at the moment.
normally I use a spray-head (with a variable valve), on a hose, to water the plants in my green house.
Last night, as an experiment, I watered the plants in the green house with a watering can instead of the hose.
(but I filled the watering can from the hose, with the same, ‘regulated’ spray head)
from the time taken to fill the watering can, with the hose,.. I estimate that I used between 1 1/2 & 2 times the amount of water, that I would normally use.
So, by forcing me to not use a hosepipe, I am actually using considerably more water than I would have done.
I had a shower this morning, that uses a hose.
Oops, who’s gonna report me?
Grass, lawns and plants can still be watered if done so with a watering can or container, whilst paddling pools can be filled using the same method.So you put the water in them from a hose pipe on the wall and then you spread it around the garden..what utter bollocks..fuck off to this nonsense.
OMG!!! Stop paying lazy fat cats and share holders massive wages and bonuses out of our pockets while we languish in foul waterways and seaside resorts!!!
leaks all over the place that aren’t attended to. What is wrong with this country, the Nhs and big corporations are really taking the xxxx out of us!!!
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha. What a load of bullshit. Executives lining their pockets on the minions behalf more like. Water bills continue to rise as does the rain. Un bloody believable . Buckets and watering cans at the ready