The combination of factors experienced this year have been extraordinary - from record demand for water to prolonged periods of dry weather and a significant lack of rainfall. Although recent rainfall is helping, it hasn’t been enough to reverse the current conditions and we need to prepare should rainfall be lower than average for the rest of autumn and winter.
We have been communicating directly with our customers in affected areas to ask for voluntary restraint, but despite customers and our efforts, resources have continued to decline. Sussex is supplied by groundwater, in aquifers far below our feet, and through two surface reservoirs at Ardingly and Arlington.
Our household customers continue to follow the restrictions set out in the Temporary Use Ban (TUB) that has been in place for household customers in Kent and Sussex since July. On 17 October, we announced that exemptions listed in the temporary use ban, except those that are for health and safety purposes, were being removed for household customers in Sussex. We are taking a precautionary step to make sure that we have the ability to further protect essential water supplies should we need to.
This means we have applied for a Non Essential Use Ban (NEUB) Drought Order covering our Sussex supply area only. This is only an application, and even if granted will only be implemented if the drought situation in Sussex becomes more severe.
I am a business. How do I know if this affects me?
The NEUB, if granted and implemented, would affect non-household and business customers in Sussex or a part of Sussex where we are the wholesale supplier for water. This includes businesses, commercial premises, public sector organisations, and all other non-domestic users.
If we implement a NEUB, we will:
- Publish a notice in the local newspapers
- Post a message on our social media channels
- Write to stakeholders, local authorities and MPs in Sussex
- Write to water retailers
- Send out letters to non households and business customers in Sussex
- Brief our staff about the ban
- Update this webpage with additional information
How are household customers affected?
We implemented hosepipe restrictions(opens in a new tab) for household customers in Kent and Sussex in July. On 17 October we took one step further and enforced more restrictions for customers in Sussex due to the severity of the situation. This meant all exemptions that were previously in place were removed, except for ones that are for health and safety purposes.
More information about the additional measures for household customers in Sussex can be found here(opens in a new tab).
There are no restrictions for customers we supply in Surrey, Hampshire or Berkshire, but we will continue to monitor the ongoing situation there.
What are we doing to help the drought?
We’ve fast-tracked several projects to enable water to either move more easily around the network or to better support how water is supplied in Sussex. This includes a new pipeline connecting treated water from Bewl in Kent to the East Sussex network, bolstering how this area is supplied and transferring more water from water resource zones that are in a better position to support those that aren’t.
This year we're fixing leaks 21 per cent quicker than we did last year. We've taken the time to fix a leak down from an average of just over 15 days, to just over 12 days. Between April and 24 September 2025 in Sussex, we have repaired 2,354 leaks, an increase of 14 per cent on last year.
What is a NEUB?
A Non Essential Use Ban (NEUB) is a restriction on mains water use we can apply for under a Drought Order and implement when there is a threat of serious water shortages. It targets commercial and non-household water use and requires approval by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
This is an action included in our Water Resources Management Plan(opens in a new tab) and Drought Plan(opens in a new tab), but we do not take it lightly. We only apply and implement it under exceptional circumstances.
Why is this step necessary?
This year has been exceptional. England has experienced the driest spring since 1893, the hottest summer on record, four heatwaves, but most importantly a lack of rainfall. This has had an impact on our water resources, and the rivers we take water from are still low.
Our reservoirs at Ardingly and Arlington, are much lower than we'd expect at this time of year with Ardingly Reservoir now at critically low levels as a result of the lack of rainfall over the last 8 months and record demand for water in the summer. While there has been some rainfall since the end of August, it has not been enough to counteract the dry year we’ve experienced. We need at least 80 per cent of average rainfall from now until February 2026.
We were granted a Drought Permit(opens in a new tab) for Ardingly Reservoir on 22 September. The permit allows us to reduce the amount we release from the reservoir into the Shell Brook (the stream) and refill it earlier from the Upper Ouse, if river flows are high enough. We additionally applied for a Drought Order(opens in a new tab) on 10 October, which, if granted, means we can reduce the amount of water we need to leave in the Lower Ouse, the part of the river below where we take water from to treat and pump to your taps.
We’re doing everything we can but without more than 80 per cent average rainfall, water resources will continue to decline, which could lead to customers experiencing widespread issues such as low pressure or no water. This is why we now need to look at non-household customer restrictions as a potential next step should the situation get worse.
Activities banned under a NEUB
Whilst the NEUB is in place, non household customers must not use mains water for the following non-essential activities, unless a specific concession applies:
- Watering outdoor plants on commercial premises
- Filling or maintaining a non-domestic swimming pool, paddling pool or hot tub
- Filling or maintaining a pond
- Operating a mechanical vehicle washer
- Cleaning any vehicle, boat, aircraft or railway rolling stock
- Cleaning non-domestic premises
- Cleaning windows on non-domestic buildings
- Cleaning industrial plant
- Suppressing dust
- Operating cisterns in unoccupied buildings
Concessions
There will be flexibility to give concessions to the restrictions, based on the severity of the drought. Concessions would ease the difficulties for businesses, but we would only include them if the drought situation did not require tougher restrictions.
The full list of concessions that could be applied partially or in full are::
Watering outdoor plants on commercial premises
The restriction excludes:
- Plants grown or kept for sale or commercial use.
- Plants part of a national plant collection, temporary garden or flower display
Concessions could apply to:
- Newly bought plants
- If plants are watered with certain water-efficient apparatus drip/micro irrigation
Filling or maintaining a non-domestic swimming pool, paddling pool or hot tub
The restriction excludes:
- If the pool is open to the public. Please note, a pool is not open to the public if it’s only used by paying members of an affiliated club or organisation
- If the pool is being constructed
- If you are using a hand-held container which is filled with water directly from a tap to fill the swimming pool, paddling pool or hot tub
- If a pool that’s being designed, constructed or adapted for use during medical treatment
- If a pool is being used for decontaminating animals from infections or disease
- If fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity
- If the pool is being used by pupils of a school for school swimming lessons
Concessions could apply to:
- Pools serving industrial training
- Pools with covers as evaporative losses low
- Pools with approved water conservation/recycling systems
- Pools subject to significant repair or renovation
Filling or maintaining a pond
The restriction excludes:
- Where fish or other aquatic animals are being reared or kept in captivity
Operating a mechanical vehicle washer
Concessions could apply to:
- Washers that recycle less than 23 litres per wash
- If you need to operate a mechanical washer on biosecurity grounds
Cleaning any vehicle, boat, aircraft or railway rolling stock
The restriction excludes:
- Health and safety reasons
Concessions could apply to:
- Where low water use technologies are being used
- To small businesses whose sole operations are to clean vehicles
- To those using vessels as a primary residence
- In cases where fouling of hulls causes increased fuel consumption
- If you are elderly or disabled
- If you need to remove graffiti
Cleaning non-domestic premises
The restrictions exclude:
- Health and safety reasons
Concessions could apply to:
- To some businesses who may be reliant on building washing
- If you need to remove graffiti
- Where low water use technologies are being used
Cleaning windows on non-domestic buildings
The restrictions exclude:
- Health and safety reasons
Concessions could apply to:
- To some businesses who may be reliant on building washing
- Where the cleaning apparatus is not connected to a mains supply
Cleaning industrial plant
The restrictions exclude:
- Health and safety reasons
Concessions could apply to:
- If you need to remove graffiti
Suppressing dust
The restriction excludes:
- Health and safety reasons
Concessions could apply to:
- For nuisance control
Operating cisterns (including an automatic operated flushing cistern servicing a WC or urinal in a building that is unoccupied or closed)
Concessions could apply to:
- To charities, churches and not for profit organisations
Saving Water in Your Business
Saving water isn't just about saving money on your water and energy bills. Have a look at our website for water-saving tips you can implement in your business.
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