August 18, 2026 | 07:27 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The UK government is preparing to implement stricter water-use restrictions amid worsening drought conditions, according to local media reports. These measures could affect businesses such as car washes and window cleaning services, as well as private swimming pools.
Government planners have informed ministers that restrictions could be expanded as non-essential use bans (NEUB) become increasingly common, according to a report by The Times newspaper on Sunday, August 16.
Such restrictions must be proposed by water companies and approved by the minister. The policy may also apply to sports fields, though the government may grant certain facilities exemptions.
As of last week, nearly 26 million people were subject to hosepipe restrictions prohibiting the use of hoses to water plants or gardens in residential or non-commercial areas.
"As any responsible government would, we are preparing for a range of scenarios and working with the National Drought Group to help maintain water supplies," a government spokesperson told The Times, as quoted by ANTARA.
He said the government expects water companies to implement established drought management plans and to take further, faster measures to reduce leakage.
According to the report, only one NEUB application has been submitted so far—by Southern Water, a company serving East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight.
As of July 15, 2026, the UK had recorded more days with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius than in all of 1976, a year known for its prolonged heat wave.
According to government data, as of Monday, August 17, 71 percent of England was experiencing drought. Drought status was also declared across Wales at the end of July, as the region headed toward its driest July in 190 years.
Last week, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also warned that the country was at high risk of fire while visiting Stourbridge in the West Midlands, where firefighters were battling a wildfire.
Read: In Germany, Record Heat Meets Climate Action Fatigue
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