Yorkshire Hosepipe Ban Kicks In After Record Dry Spring
After a spring that barely saw a drop of rain, Yorkshire Water has declared enough is enough: a hosepipe ban hits the region from July 11, 2025. This isn’t just a gentle reminder to conserve water—use your hosepipe on your garden, car, or even inflate the paddling pool in the backyard, and you’re risking a hefty fine that could total £1,000. The company says it doesn’t want to play bad cop, but it’s ready to act if people ignore the rules.
Let’s put this in perspective. Yorkshire hasn’t been this dry in living memory. May rainfall hit record lows, and by June, the Environment Agency called it: drought officially declared. Yorkshire Water’s Director, Dave Kaye, points out that the region’s reservoirs are way below comfortable levels. Without quick action, water supplies could get riskier, especially if this dry run drags on through late summer and beyond.
Who’s Affected and What’s Off-Limits?
The hosepipe ban is no small-scale effort. It spreads right across Yorkshire—covering West and South to North Yorkshire, East Riding, North Lincolnshire, and even clipping into Derbyshire. Pretty much anyone using water in a domestic setting is affected. So, if you usually water your flowerbeds, hose down your patio, or fill up that kid’s paddling pool to survive a roasting afternoon, those activities are now off the table. Washing the car in your driveway? That, too, is a no-go if you reach for the hose.
- Watering private gardens, plants, or lawns with a hosepipe
- Cleaning vehicles, windows, driveways, or patios at home with a hosepipe
- Filling swimming or paddling pools, garden ponds, or fountains using a hosepipe
There’s some relief if you run a business, though: commercial hosepipe use—for things like car washes or landscaping—isn’t banned. The idea is to keep livelihoods ticking, even as households are asked to make sacrifices.
Yorkshire Water isn’t blind to the hassle, but points out there are ways to get by, like using buckets or watering cans instead. The company’s staff won’t be actively snooping on every garden, but if neighbours rat you out or offenses pile up, formal reminders—and, eventually, those big fines—could come your way.
The move comes as experts warn that the UK needs to take water security much more seriously. If these dry and hot spells become more normal, bans like this could be a sign of things to come rather than just an occasional blip. For now, how long Yorkshire’s restrictions will last is anyone’s guess. Dave Kaye says they’ll keep the ban going until reservoirs fill up—a milestone that might not be hit until much later in the year, if the weather doesn’t play ball.
If you’re in Yorkshire and rely on a hosepipe, get ready for a new normal. History shows water bans are rarely popular, but they go a long way to stop taps running dry when the heat doesn’t let up.