Water company executives are urging the public to swap hosepipes for watering cans, use paddling pool water for plants, and allow lawns to turn 'golden' amid fears of supplies running dry following a record-breaking heatwave across the UK.
The warning came as Thames Water revealed that an extra billion litres of water were deployed across London and the South East over the bank holiday weekend compared to the same weekend in 2025. The firm stated that 'several days of exceptional heat', which have resulted in the hottest May on record, saw demand for water increase by up to 50 per cent in some areas.
Thames Water added that 'small steps' taken by customers could help preserve supplies ahead of another heatwave over the summer months. The demand was largely driven by outdoor activities such as watering gardens, filling paddling pools, and using hoses and sprinklers.
Customers have been advised to reduce water usage by avoiding watering gardens during the day, delaying activities like car washing, and reusing water where possible, including keeping a bowl in the sink to water plants with. While not an official ban on hosepipes, this advice comes after a 'temporary use ban' was lifted in November. That restriction was put in place last July amid drought fears as the Met Office recorded the warmest summer on record for the UK.
Other water firms affected
Other water companies across the country have similarly warned customers of reduced supply following the recent hot weather. South East Water reported that 8,000 customers in Whitstable, Kent, were left without water, while low water pressure and patchy supply affected 14,000 people in Tankerton, Ashford, and surrounding areas. The company said nearby reservoirs had reached a 'critical level' due to 'extremely high demand'.
Weather forecast
However, the weather is due to turn cooler and more unsettled over the weekend and into next week. Outbreaks of rain are expected to spread across the country, according to the Met Office. Periods of heavier downpours will move into western areas, including heavy and potential thundery showers in parts of Northern Ireland, but it will be dry elsewhere. Temperatures should be near-average by Sunday, with clouds and rain set to affect northern and western areas in particular, while brighter spells are expected in the east and southeast.
Forecasters have also predicted heavy downpours stretching across much of the UK over a 21-hour period, with 22 counties set to be hit at some point. Huge parts of Britain should expect rain on the first day of June on Monday, which marks the start of climatological summer. Parts of London, Kent, Cornwall, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire, and Scotland are among the areas forecast for up to 8mm of rain, with some areas facing downpours until 10am the next day.
This comes after Tuesday became the hottest May day ever recorded in both England and Wales, with temperatures soaring to 35.1°C (95.2°F) at Kew Gardens in south-west London and 32.9°C (91.2°F) at Cardiff's Bute Park. In the latest 10-day forecast, Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said Britain would likely see a repeated pattern of rain and showers followed by brighter spells next week.
Fatal incidents in open water
The spring heat has sent thousands flocking to beaches, lakes, and rivers across the country. But emergency services have been stretched by a string of fatal incidents involving children and teenagers getting into difficulty in open water. A 16-year-old boy was confirmed to be the 12th person to die in a water-related incident over the course of the recent heatwave. Police were called to a report of concern for a person at Bracklinn Falls near Callander in Stirlingshire, Scotland at around 6.45pm on Thursday, and the body of the teenager was recovered from the water.
