Water companies in England seek bans on non-essential business use as drought persists
Golf clubs, private schools and commercial car washes could face restrictions if the government approves requests from three suppliers, with reservoirs at 54% capacity.
Three water companies in England are asking the government for permission to restrict how businesses use water, as drought grips most of the country and reservoir levels fall well below normal for autumn.
South East Water, Southern Water and South West Water have applied for "non-essential use bans" in parts of their regions. If the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) approves, the bans could stop golf clubs and private schools from watering courses and playing fields with mains water and halt commercial car washes. Businesses have been exempt from the hosepipe bans imposed on households for the past three months. The government has not yet responded.
Eleven areas of England remain in drought, with Yorkshire added Oct. 9. Reservoirs stand at 54%, 21% below what is expected in autumn, and England received about 65% of its typical September rainfall. The Met Office has said above-average rainfall over seven months is needed to bring every area out of drought.
In Hampshire, Southern Water is also seeking a drought order to draw water from the River Test, a prized chalk stream and rare salmon habitat, below levels considered ecologically safe.
Mark Owen, head of fisheries at the Angling Trust, backed the restrictions alongside urgent action on leaks. "It makes little sense to ban people from washing cars at home while commercial car washes can continue operating," Owen said.
This brief is based on reporting by Sandra Laville, published Oct. 14, 2026, in the Guardian. Read the original: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/14/businesses-barred-water-use-drought-england-supply-threat
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
