Who supplies my water? How to find your local water supplier by postcode – and whether they have a hosepipe ban

MILLIONS of households across the UK are facing hosepipe bans after an exceptionally warm and dry spring. Major water companies – including Thames Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water, and Southern Water – have rolled out Temporary Use Bans (TUBs) across large parts of the country to protect dwindling water levels. Your property is served water by a fixed regional provider Credit: Getty Finding your provider takes under 60 seconds using just your postcode online Credit: Alamy With restrictions coming into force, many are wondering who actually supplies their water and whether the ban applies to them. Unlike gas or electricity, water isn’t a market where you can shop around for a cheaper tariff. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Your property is served by a fixed regional provider that owns the local infrastructure, pipes your fresh water, and manages your wastewater. Whether you need to check if your hose is off-limits, report a leaking main, or trace who bills your address, finding your provider takes under 60 seconds – using just your postcode. How to find your local water supplier by postcode Finding out who supplies your home takes less than a minute. Because water coverage is fixed by location, your postcode gives you the precise answer right away. Water UK – the trade body representing UK water companies – runs a simple, free online lookup tool. Just type in your postcode, and it will reveal the exact company responsible for your home. Most read in The Sun The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) also provides a clear directory and lookup tool for households across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. If you don’t have access to the internet, your physical water bill will clearly name your provider. If you rent, your tenancy agreement or welcome pack will usually list your account details. Which water bill should I pay attention to? In many parts of the UK, one water-only company provides clean drinking water, while a larger, regional firm handles sewerage and wastewater services. If you receive two separate bills, that is completely normal. If you do receive two bills for your water, the company enforcing any hosepipe ban will always be your clean water supplier. Clean water suppliers pump fresh, treated water to your home. Because the bans are designed to preserve freshwater levels, this is the company whose restriction rules you must follow. Sewerage and wastewater companies do not control or supply the water coming out of your taps, so their announcements regarding hosepipe bans do not apply to your home. If you’re still unsure which one of your two bills is which, look for items labelled “Water Supply” or “Fresh Water”. The company sending this statement is your clean water provider. Head to that company’s website and enter your postcode to confirm whether a hosepipe ban is active where you live. The hosepipe bans in place in England – mid and south Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire and parts of north Carmarthenshire are under Welsh Water’s ban Credit: PA What hosepipe bans are currently in place? This is a full list of all of the major water suppliers that have declared a hosepipe ban in the UK [correct as of July 22]: Affinity Water: Active since July 11 (Central region, including parts of Herts, Beds, Bucks, Berks, Surrey, and North/West London). Anglian Water: Active since July 11 (Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and East Midlands). Cambridge Water: Active since July 17 (Cambridgeshire area). South East Water: Active in Kent since July 3. Extends to Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, and Berkshire from 12.01am Saturday, July 25. South West Water: Active since July 14 (Mid Devon and parts of East Devon). Southern Water: Active since July 10 (Hampshire and Isle of Wight). Thames Water: Starts 12.01am Thursday, July 23 (London and Thames Valley). Customers are urged to cut use immediately. Welsh Water: Active since July 19 (Mid and south Ceredigion, north Pembrokeshire, and parts of north Carmarthenshire). Essex & Suffolk, Severn Trent, and South Staffs Water are currently on conservation warnings asking households to save water voluntarily, though formal bans remain under review. No restrictions are currently in place for Northumbrian Water, Scottish Water, United Utilities, Wessex Water, and Yorkshire Water. Where to find your latest hosepipe restriction info When restrictions are put in place, water companies are legally required to notify the public clearly. Whenever a ban or severe service issue is active, suppliers almost always display a prominent alert banner at the top of their homepage. Most supplier sites also feature an interactive map or postcode search box where you can check live service updates, pipe maintenance, and localised alerts. If you’re still having trouble, use the search bar on your provider’s site to look up terms like “Water Restrictions” or “Hosepipe Ban”. Dedicated landing pages should detail exactly what rules are currently enforced in your area. Comment now