The 3 essential tasks gardeners should be doing this month to avoid £1000 fine during a hosepipe ban
GARDENERS are being warned of a potential hosepipe ban this summer, after UK temperatures soared throughout spring.
According to the Met Office, 2025 saw the sunniest spring since records began, with temperatures reaching 29 degrees in early May.
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However, although Brits across the country have enjoyed revelling in the unusually balmy weather, the heat has led to a drought in the northwest of England.
The high temperatures have also led Thames Water to share a warning to customers about potential restrictions to water usage.
The chief executive of the water company, Chris Weston, said that whilst he doesn't think they will run out of water, they may have to curb customer usage.
He added that Thames Water has "learned its lesson" after the company almost ran out of water in 2022.
'I am confident that we won't run out of water,' he told a committee of MPs.
'I am not confident that we won't have to restrict usage because that will depend on what the weather does and what rainfall happens between now and the summer.'
This could mean gardeners could be banned from using their hosepipes for watering the garden.
What happens during a hosepipe ban?
When a Temporary Usage Ban, or hosepipe ban is put in place by a water company, customers are not allowed to use hoses for watering flowers, washing cars, or for water fights.
Instead they are encouraged to use watering cans or buckets for any outside tasks that require water.
If you breach the ban, you could face a fine of up to £1000.
I didn't want to waste water during the hosepipe ban but figured a savvy way to still keep my garden watered
How to preserve water ahead of a hosepipe ban
To conserve water, ahead of a potential ban, there are three essential task that gardeners should do.
Firstly, you can use water butts to collect rainwater.
You can also try watering plants in the morning or late in the evening, when the water doesn't get evaporated as quickly.
In the home, you can help to conserve water by having quicker showers, and making sure the tap is turned off when you brush your teeth.
How to keep cool in a heatwave
Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks. Here are three ways to keep cool according to the NHS...
Keep out of the heat if you can.
If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
Cool yourself down.
Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
Keep your living space cool.
Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.
When did the UK last have a hosepipe ban?
Back in June 2023, South East Water implemented a hosepipe ban that affected parts of Kent and Sussex.
The ban was lifted in July, after a rainy period of weather.
In 2022, five water companies imposed hosepipe bans on a total of 19 million people, after a long period of hot weather.
The longest hosepipe ban in the UK was in 1976, when restrictions where in place for 98 days, from June to October.
An exceptionally hot summer led to extreme drought which affected most of southern England.
During the ban, water use was limited to essential activities such as drinking, cooking and washing.
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