All regions

The Met Office has classified the Summer of 2025 as the hottest on record. Despite recent rainfall, water resources will take time to recover, as we’ve only received 50% of average rainfall in the last six months.

That means our hose pipe ban remains in place for Thames Water customers in the OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9 postcodes.

Nevil Muncaster, Strategic Water Resources Director at Thames Water, said: “This summer has been ‘the hottest on record’ and in our region alone, we’ve had less than half the rainfall we would expect over the last few months, meaning rivers and groundwater levels in the west of our region are still under significant pressure. We’ve welcomed the rain over the past few weeks, which has helped the rivers we use to top up our reservoirs, however most of this rainfall has been soaked up by the excessively dry ground and hasn’t had a notable impact to the groundwater levels, which feed the River Thames.”

During periods of heavy rainfall on exceptionally dry ground, there’s an increased likelihood of localised flooding due to increased run off. Further information is available at Types of flooding| Water and waste help| Thames Water

We continue to do everything we can to keep all our customers supplied with top quality drinking water. This includes fixing leaks, using smart technology to manage water pressures, and closely monitoring demand across our network.

Further information on what we’re doing to keep your taps running is available at Water supply and drought update | Help | Thames Water

Simple actions make a big difference. Cutting two minutes off a 10-minute shower saves 20 litres of water, and turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save up to nine litres a minute.

By working together, we can all help protect your water supply. If you can, please take a break from using hosepipes in gardens and around the home.

Thank you for your ongoing help and support.