Hosepipe ban map: Legal restrictions in place for 27 million as Wessex Water becomes latest supplier to crack down

Over 27 million people will have their hosepipe use restricted as back-to-back heatwaves and exceptionally dry weather have prompted drought conditions across the UK. Wessex Water has become the latest supplier to announce an official ban, beginning on 18 August, joining nine other water companies across England and Wales.The record-breaking summer weather has put over two-thirds of England and the entirety of Wales in official drought, authorities have said.It is the first time in over 50 years that Wessex Water has issued a hosepipe ban, affecting all of its 1.4 million customers across Bath, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.Ruth Jefferson, Wessex Water’s chief executive, said the decision to put a ban in place comes from a combination of increased demand for water during the ongoing dry w