Are car washes open during hosepipe bans? Rules explained

Are car washes open in the hosepipe ban?  (Credit: Pxhere)

Where are hosepipe bans in the UK in 2025?

South East Water (Ban): South East Water implemented a hosepipe ban from July 18. It covers customers in Kent and Sussex. 

Use the postcode checker at the base of the page accessed by this link to see if your postcode is included is covered by the hosepipe ban.

The ban, revealed on Friday (11 July), makes it illegal to use a hosepipe to water gardens, wash cars or fill paddling pools — with anyone caught risking a fine of up to £1,000.

Chief executive David Hinton said: "Despite asking for customers' help to use water for essential uses only, we've been left with no choice but to introduce this temporary restriction."

The company is continuing to monitor the situation in its Western region, where it serves customers in parts of Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.

Southern Water (Ban for some areas): Southern Water has announced a hosepipe ban impacting nearly one million customers due to ongoing dry weather. The ban started at 9:00 BST on Monday, 21 July, covering much of Hampshire and the entire Isle of Wight.

Affected postcode areas include:
PO14, 30–41
SO14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 31, 40, 43, 45, 50, 51, 53
RG19, 20, 26, 28
SP5, 10, 11

The hosepipe ban will affect 791,000 customers across 336,000 properties in Hampshire, along with 144,000 customers in 75,000 properties on the Isle of Wight.

Managing director Tim McMahon apologised to the company's customers, saying: "Only by working together can we make sure there's enough water to go around for customers and the environment."

Southern Water customers can check if their property is affected on here on the Southern Water website.

Thames Water (Ban for some areas): The new Thames Water hosepipe ban, in areas with a postcode that starts with OX, GL, SN and RG4, RG8 and RG9, will commence at one minute past midnight on Tuesday 22 July.

This means a hosepipe ban across Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. More areas could soon be added.

Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at Thames Water, said that he did not "anticipate the situation will improve any time soon".

Yorkshire Water (Ban): Yorkshire Water has revealed the county saw its driest, warmest spring on record, with just 15cm of rain falling between February and June — less than half the usual amount for the period.

Yorkshire has now become the first region in the UK to see water use restrictions after a prolonged nationwide dry spell. The ban impacts its customers across much of Yorkshire, parts of North Lincolnshire and parts of Derbyshire.

The ban follows the Environment Agency’s decision to officially declare a drought in the region last month. Yorkshire Water says reservoir levels are now just above 50% — a record low for this time of year and well below the early July average of around 80%.

You can enter your post code to see if you are included here. 

Hosepipe ban risk summary

Here is the status and potential risk of a hosepipe ban in your area. (Based on publicly available information.)

Where have hosepipe bans been lifted?

All Current bands are still in place. See above for current hosepipe bans.

What is the fine for using a hosepipe during a ban?

Breaking a hosepipe ban  can leave the offender risking fines of up to £3,000.

The legal implications of breaking a hosepipe ban are outlined in the Water Industry Act 1991 section 76, as amended by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Can I use a hosepipe to wash my car if there is a ban?

No. You are not permitted to use a hosepipe to wash your car – unless it is connected to a water butt that would be expected to collect contents through rainwater – and not the mains.

Can I use a jet washer to clean my car in a hosepipe ban?

No – if the jet washer is connected to a mains-fed hosepipe, you cannot use it to wash your car or other purposes.

Although, if connected to a water butt with rain water or from washing etc, then you should be okay to use it.

Are there exemptions that allow me to wash my car using a hosepipe during a ban?

Yes. If you own a commercial vehicle – such as a taxi or hearse used for funerals – you will be able to use a hosepipe to wash your car.

You can also use a hosepipe at home to clean your car if it is fed by a private borehole or artificial lake or pond that you happen to own.

Can I wash my car using a bucket?

It is allowed to use a sponge and bucket to wash your car. You can also use ‘grey water’ such as bathwater to fill up a butt and connect a hose to it if you have the facilities to do so.

Are car washes open during hosepipe bans?

Businesses and commercial premises are exempt from the restrictions, so heading to a hand car wash, automated car wash or commercial self-service jet wash is still permitted.

Expect car washes to be very busy during the duration of the ban due to the inability of most people to be able to wash their vehicles at home.

Will car wash prices increase due to the hosepipe ban?

A Thames Water ban, for example, could affect as many as 15 million people - putting strain on car washes currently operating in London. This could also see prices rocket as demand soars. Something that will be the same in other areas with such bans on domestic hoses. 

How much water will it save by banning hosepipes for washing cars?

Using a hosepipe to wash a car can require as much as 500-litres of water, whereas using a bucket will use 30-40 litres of the wet stuff.

Will an official drought declaration mean car washes close?

No, not immediately. An official 'drought' declaration will mean more hosepipe bans across the country, but commercial car washes will be able to continue operating - but home use of hoses to wash your vehicle will be banned unless you fall into the exemptions. 

When could commercial car washes be forced to close?

If conditions worsen, an 'extreme drought' could be declared. This would result in local restrictions that could easily see car washes shut down, or limited in number as they would be considered non-essential water use.