The ban, in short
South East Water put a hosepipe ban, formally a Temporary Use Ban, in force across Kent from 3 July 2026, covering around 850,000 customers as this summer's drought deepened. It bans hosepipe use for garden watering, car washing, patio cleaning, pool filling and ornamental fountains for domestic customers. Breaching it carries a fine of up to £1,000.
Why it doesn't stop us
The ban only restricts domestic use. Water companies' own guidance, including the exemption wording used by suppliers like Thames Water, specifically carves out cleaning "walls and windows of domestic premises, paths or patios, or other outdoor artificial surfaces, where this is done as a service to customers in the course of a business." That's the test: if the water use is the trade itself, a professional clean is exempt, the same way a window cleaner or a car valet stays open through a ban.
What this means for Canterbury
If you've been putting off a drive or patio clean because you assumed the ban covers everyone, it doesn't cover us. We're still working through Canterbury as normal. What it does mean is your own garden hose is off limits for it, so this is a sensible summer to book it in rather than wait for a bucket-and-brush job that never quite gets there.
Sources: Water Industry Hub, "UK Hosepipe Bans Summer 2026"; Thames Water, "Hosepipe ban FAQs".