Private British utility Thames Water imposed a "hosepipe ban" on July 22, citing ongoing, atypical drought-like conditions, Reuters reports.

What's happening?

On July 10, Thames Water announced a temporary hosepipe ban.

According to the United Kingdom's Environment Agency, hosepipe bans are officially termed "Temporary Use Bans," or TUBs, and until recently, they were rarely put into effect.

However, exceptionally dry conditions in 2023 led to a hosepipe ban. As the name suggests, outdoor watering activities such as tending a garden or filling a pool are prohibited for the duration of the ban, punishable by a £1,000 ($1,350) fine.

"This has been a challenging spring and summer. Given the continued warm, dry weather, we do not anticipate that the situation will improve any time soon, so we have to take action now," said Nevil Muncaster, Thames Water's Strategic Water Resources Director.

According to the BBC, the Thames Water hosepipe ban affects over a million residents in Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire, and it's the fourth such ban imposed by a water utility in the U.K. this year.

Liz Stephens, Professor of Climate Risks and Resilience at the University of Reading, spoke to the BBC about the broader implications of the Thames Water hosepipe ban, low water levels in the Thames, and worsening summer drought conditions compared to recent years.

"This hosepipe ban is coming into place a whole month earlier in the year than the most recent hosepipe ban in 2022," Stephens observed, adding that a longer, earlier imposition of restrictions could impact people more harshly, particularly in the event of a heat wave.

Why is Thames Water's hosepipe ban so concerning?

As Stephens explained, the water use restriction began an entire calendar month earlier than in 2022.

Reuters' coverage mentioned that droughts in the United Kingdom are an accelerating consequence of overall higher temperatures, and Stephens' contrast with 2022 illustrated that. 

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The United States Geological Survey explained that changing climate patterns have made droughts "more frequent, longer, and more severe."

The World Meteorological Organization classifies drought as a form of extreme weather. An unstable climate exacerbates weather events such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and droughts — while they've always occurred, they've become costlier, harder to recover from, and deadlier.

Drought also goes hand in hand with wildfires, another increasingly common kind of extreme weather.

These previously rare events are happening much more often, and awareness of key climate issues is critical to understanding and being prepared for these weather events. 

What's being done about it?

Thames Water published a resource for affected customers, with no firm projection about when or why the hosepipe ban could be lifted.

The private company indicated that the water restrictions may fortify water levels over time, adding that a forecast free of rain meant the "ability to maintain storage may be difficult." 

Customers were further advised that the use of gray water, collected rainwater, or water from a private source was permitted while the hosepipe ban was in effect.

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