A note on the hosepipe ban
10 August 2026
At time of writing, South East Essex where I live and work has a hosepipe ban. We are experiencing incredibly hot days at the moment in long runs where not a drop of rain seems to fall.
Working in this heat is tough going; dry hard ground, dust in my eyes, and a horrible combination of sun cream, dirt and bugs on my skin at all times! And the gardens are showing it too: floppy leaves and drooping plants. We know how important and precious a resource water is, and are usually lucky that we live in a part of the world where we can merrily water our gardens without even really thinking about it.
In the rare moments there has been rain - I’m thinking of one particularly spectacular storm a couple of weeks ago - it doesn’t seem like nearly enough. I always have the phrase in my mind of “it doesn’t rain in pots” - and true enough, the soil at the roots of my container plants had barely any moisture after the deluge. It makes sense if you think about it - water splashing off the leaves, particularly of larger-leaved plants, just won’t reach the soil.
The lake at Cherry Orchard Country Park 10mins drive from where I live has dried up. Four thousand fish had to be rescued from this large lake because it simply dried up entirely. We are seeing news reports of wildfires in the New Forest and Suffolk. This weather is no joke, and water can’t afford to be wasted at a time like this.
However, hosepipe bans do not mean we turn our backs on the gardens during what the news is calling “the fifth heatwave of the summer”. The plants do need water, we just have to be more mindful about where it comes from. Of course it makes sense that hoses, sprinklers and irrigation systems need to remain dormant during this time - but it shows more than ever how having a water butt (preferably more than one) in your garden is incredibly important. Collecting rainwater when it does eventually rain, it won’t go to waste (sure enough when I checked mine at the beginning of the ban, it had a decent amount in there).
We can also use grey water from inside the house - washing up water, or even buckets put in the shower while you’re washing to catch excess water - on plants to ensure things remain healthy and watered at less of a cost than using a hosepipe. It is still possible to use watering cans filled from a tap according to the water company’s regulations - it’s about not wasting water, and using collected or grey water wherever possible.
I know there has been some confusion about being able to still use watering cans during the ban. So if you can fill a can - do - and your plants won’t have to suffer the extreme heat. I also think the best thing to do is think like this about water as a resource all the time, not just during hosepipe bans - go on, get that water butt connected. You won’t regret it!