Anglian Water hosepipe ban - drivers could face £1k fine

A new hosepipe ban took effect on July 11 covering parts of Essex, introduced by Anglian Water as part of wider restrictions across the East of England.

The ban applies to more than five million customers and prohibits the use of mains-fed hosepipes for washing vehicles, watering gardens or filling paddling pools.

Filipa Silva, a cleaning expert at Nilfisk, said: "Most people panic when a hosepipe ban is announced and assume they simply cannot wash their car at home.

"But if you have a water butt and a pressure washer with a suction hose attachment, you are using rainwater you have already collected, with no mains connection at all.

"You still get a far better clean than a bucket and sponge could ever give you."

While the ban limits hosepipe use, residents are still permitted to clean their cars using buckets, watering cans, commercial car washes, or rainwater, depending on guidance from Anglian Water.

It is also worth noting a pressure washer uses significantly less water than a standard hosepipe.

Although a garden hose can use large volumes of water during a single car wash, a pressure washer uses much less by delivering water under pressure, reducing consumption while effectively removing dirt and grime.

Pressure washers connected to a rainwater source remain permitted under current rules.

The Temporary Use Ban remains in effect until further notice, and residents are advised to consult Anglian Water’s guidance before cleaning their vehicles.

The ban covers parts of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Bedfordshire, and parts of Hertfordshire.

Residents are encouraged to explore water-saving alternatives to traditional hosepipe use while the restrictions are in place.