Yorkshire Water has announced a hosepipe ban after an exceptionally dry and warm spring. The ban will come into effect on Friday, meaning people will no longer be allowed to water their gardens or wash their cars.

Yorkshire Water’s director of water, Dave Kaye, said: "Introducing these restrictions is not a decision we have taken lightly, and we’ve been doing everything we can to avoid having to put them in place. Our region experienced an extremely dry spring, which resulted in the region entering drought status in June. Usually, spring is a time when our groundwater sources and reservoirs continue to be topped up by changeable weather, but this has not been the case in 2025, with our reservoir stocks falling since the last week of January."

Yorkshire's reservoirs are currently just 55.8% full, which is 26.1% lower than they would usually be at this time of year. The Environmental Agency declared a drought in the county in June, and a warm summer is predicted. Yorkshire Water has warned the restrictions could last until the winter.

• Using a hosepipe to water a garden

• Using a hosepipe to clean private vehicles or boats

• Watering plants with a hosepipe on domestic or other non-commercial premises

• Filling or maintaining a domestic swimming, paddling pool, hot tub or cold-water plunge pool with a hosepipe

• Using a hosepipe for domestic recreational use

• Filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain using a hosepipe

• Cleaning walls or windows of domestic premises using a hosepipe

• Cleaning paths or patios using a hosepipe

• Cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces using a hosepipe

Businesses, however, are allowed to use a hosepipe for commercial purposes.

Those with a blue badge and those on Yorkshire Water’s Priority Services Register will be exempt from the ban. People on the WaterSure tariff for medical reasons will also be exempt.