As the UK experiences the warmest June temperatures on record, Anglian Water is urging customers to use less water wherever they can.
During hot weather, demand for water is higher than usual. Increased usage puts pressure on the company’s water network and can lead to issues such as bursts and low pressure. Dry ground conditions also increase the likelihood of burst water mains.
This week, as temperatures have reached the high 30s, data from Anglian Water showed that customers’ demand for water was much higher than usual. Yesterday (Wednesday 24 June), the company put a record 1600 million litres of water into supply – a third higher than its typical distribution, 1200 million litres a day. This increase is roughly equivalent to supplying an extra county the size of Lincolnshire.
Anglian Water teams have been working around the clock to optimise the water network’s performance and keep everyone’s taps running ahead of the expected warm weather. This includes work to increase the amount of water put into supply, as well as putting more boots on the ground to respond to higher volumes of burst water pipes and leakage.
Ian Rule, Director of Water Services for Anglian Water, said: “We have no plans to introduce a hosepipe ban this year. But during this current heatwave, we’re having to produce more water than ever before to keep everyone on supply, so we’d urge customers to avoid using hosepipes and use less water wherever they can. We recognise that water plays an important part in keeping cool and staying hydrated during the heat, but anywhere you can cut back – for instance, by reusing water from paddling pools to water your garden, taking shorter showers or putting off non-essential tasks like washing the car – will make a significant difference over the coming days. Our customers are already some of the UK’s most water efficient, so we’d like to thank them for their continued support as we respond to this record-breaking hot weather.”
Last year, the East of England experienced the driest spring and summer since 1976, with the warmest summer on record in the UK. This meant many of the water company’s resources were at low levels heading into winter 2025/26. Spring 2026 was England’s warmest on record, and in the Anglian region, it was the second driest on record. While Anglian Water’s resources are still secure, the last few months of hot and dry weather – following on from record-breaking dry and warm weather in 2025 – has meant that some sources in the region, including in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, are experiencing below normal levels. Over the summer, the company’s drought experts are monitoring these areas closely, while engineers continue to work around the clock to fix pipes, upgrade systems and secure more water for the future.
By cutting individual usage where possible, customers can make a significant difference to the overall availability of water. Over the late May bank holiday, which saw the highest ever May temperatures in the UK, data from Anglian Water showed that the average smart metered customer used more than 30 extra litres of water in a single day. While typical demand for customers on smart meters was 120 litres per person per day during May, the hottest days saw demand rise by more than a quarter, with the average customer using 152.9 litres on 25 May.
How customers can help
Anglian Water’s customers are already among the most water-efficient in the UK, helping reduce the risk of low water pressures or interruptions to their supply during warmer weather. But ahead of the next hot spell, the water company is asking for its customers to protect their supplies by using water wisely wherever possible.
Easy ways to use less water
- Ditch the hosepipe: A hosepipe uses around five times more water than a watering can. So a simple switch can keep your plants healthy without overwatering them.
- Love your brown lawn: Your lawn is tougher than you think and can easily survive a few days of sunshine. If it desperately needs a drink, make sure to reuse rain or bathwater rather than wasting your drinking water.
- Reuse the pool: Paddling pools use a lot of water. You can easily use less water by not filling it up completely and by scooping out any bugs and leaves before covering it with a fitted bed sheet to keep it fresh for another use.
- Hold off washing your car or patio: Please pack away the pressure washer until the hot weather’s over. Washing a car, patio or decking uses a lot of clean, treated water.
- Make your water work twice as hard: If you’re rinsing food for dinner or a BBQ, don’t let it drain away. Instead collect it in a bowl or jug and use it to feed your indoor or garden plants.
