Crowborough Hosepipe Ban: Exemptions Scrapped From 9 Oct

Crowborough has been under a hosepipe ban since 00:01 on 25 July, and there is still no date for it ending. Breaking it is a criminal offence carrying a fine of up to £1,000 on summary conviction.

Updated 21 October: South East Water removed almost every exemption across its Sussex supply area, which includes Crowborough, from 00:01 on 9 October. Being over 65 or on the Priority Services Register no longer exempts you, and nor does a newly laid lawn or a business cleaning service. The Environment Agency declared severe drought in parts of Sussex on 15 October. The list of what is still allowed below has been rewritten. Our news story on the tighter rules and Friday’s public meeting with the company’s chief executive.

South East Water supplies the drinking water for Crowborough and the rest of Wealden. Southern Water handles sewerage. (Wealden District Council, community resilience)

The 11 things you cannot do with a hosepipe

South East Water’s statutory notice was made under sections 76 and 76A to 76C of the Water Industry Act 1991. It prohibits, across its Sussex and West region of supply:

• watering a garden
• cleaning a private motor vehicle or its trailer
• watering plants on domestic or other non-commercial premises
• cleaning a private leisure boat
• filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool
• drawing water for domestic recreational use, such as hot tubs
• filling or maintaining a domestic pond, manmade or natural
• filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain, including by permanent plumbing
• cleaning the walls or windows of domestic premises
• cleaning paths or patios
• cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces

A “hosepipe” is defined as anything designed, adapted or used to serve the same purpose. That catches sprinklers, irrigation systems and pressure washers connected to the mains. (South East Water statutory notice for temporary use ban, Sussex and West)

What is still allowed

Since 9 October the eleven uses above are banned for everyone in South East Water’s Sussex supply area unless a narrow exemption applies. The company’s map of that area, Resource Zones 2 and 3, takes in Crowborough, Uckfield, Heathfield and Hailsham. (South East Water, notice removing exemptions)

You do not need to apply for an exemption, though the company says it may question your use of one. What is still allowed:

• hosepipe use that is genuinely needed for health and safety, for people or animals
• anything needed for the health and welfare of animals or fish
• a hosepipe fed from a water butt or another recycled water store, but not a water butt filled from the mains
• drip or trickle irrigation with a pressure reducing valve and a timer, not handheld
• watering the playing area of a sports pitch outside 8am to 10am and 5pm to 9pm
• watering plants grown for sale or commercial use, National Plant Collections and temporary public flower displays

Watering cans and buckets filled from the tap are not restricted.

What changed on 9 October:

• Age. Anyone relying on an age-based exemption lost it.
• The Priority Services Register. Being on the register no longer exempts you on its own.
• New turf. You can no longer water a newly laid lawn with a hosepipe.
• Businesses. Commercial cleaning of vehicles, windows, walls, paths and patios with a hosepipe is now banned, including taxis and goods vehicles.

(South East Water, Sussex hosepipe restrictions FAQs)

Why Sussex was put under restrictions

South East Water gives two reasons for the Sussex ban. The level of the River Cuckmere meant it had to pause taking water from it. That pushed Arlington Reservoir down to the point at which its Drought Plan requires restrictions. The company also says the area has received only 55% of its average rainfall since March. (South East Water, hosepipe restrictions in all areas)

Kent went first, on 3 July. Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire followed on 25 July. The company notes that Kent and Sussex have now had restrictions in three of the last five years, while Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire had not had them since 2012.

Severe drought in parts of Sussex

On 15 October the Environment Agency declared severe drought in parts of Sussex. It is the third of four drought stages. South East Water says Ardingly Reservoir was 19.4% full on 11 October, and Sussex had just over 56% of its expected rainfall between March and August. The declaration brings no new restrictions on its own. (South East Water, Sussex hosepipe restrictions FAQs)

The company has also asked the government for a drought order covering its Sussex region. If granted and used, it would restrict non-household uses such as commercial car washes, non-domestic pools and cleaning business premises. Objections closed on 16 October. (South East Water, notice of application for a drought order)

How the drought began in August

The Environment Agency’s briefing for 7 to 13 August, published on 14 August, moved the remaining parts of Kent, and of the Solent and South Downs area that covers East Sussex, from prolonged dry weather to drought. Every Environment Agency area in the South East is now classed as in drought, and 71% of England by land area.

The figures behind that:

• England received 4mm of rain in the first part of August, 6% of the long-term average. In east and south-east England it was 1%.
• Reservoir storage across England was 65.9% on 11 August, down 3.1% in a week, against a long-term average of 79.7% for the time of year.
• Only 5 of the river flow sites the agency reports on were normal for the time of year. Fifteen were exceptionally low.
• Eight water companies have restrictions in place. South East Water’s covers its whole company area. More than 27 million people are affected nationally.

(Environment Agency, Dry weather and drought in England: 7 to 13 August 2026)

What it means for you

• The ban is open-ended. No end date has been published. South East Water’s drought plan links restrictions to reservoir and river levels, not to a calendar, so it will run until supplies recover.
• The Priority Services Register no longer gets you out of the ban. Since 9 October only a genuine health, safety or welfare need does. Registration is still free and still brings other help in a supply cut.
• A water butt gets you your hosepipe back, for any of the restricted uses, because recycled water is outside the ban.
• Sports clubs are not shut out. Pitches and artificial surfaces can be watered outside the two peak windows, but only the playing area, not the whole grounds.
• Filling a paddling pool from the mains is on the banned list. If you are looking for somewhere to cool off instead, see our guide to things to do in Crowborough.

Report a leak or check your own supply position with South East Water directly. A leak on the network is the company’s to fix; a leak on your own supply pipe is not.