An earlier version of this article, published 13 July 2026, incorrectly stated that United Utilities had declared a formal Temporary Use Ban under Section 76 of the Water Industry Act 1991, effective from Sunday 5 August 2026. This was wrong. No such ban has been declared. United Utilities contacted Water Industry Hub directly on 24 July 2026 to confirm this, and the company's public position has in fact been that no restrictions are planned since at least 15 July 2026. We have removed the incorrect claim from this page, from our main hosepipe ban tracker, and from every other page on this site that referenced it. We apologise unreservedly to United Utilities and to our readers for the error.
United Utilities has not declared a hosepipe ban and has no restrictions planned for the North West as of 24 July 2026. A United Utilities spokesperson said on 15 July 2026: "There are no plans for any restrictions in the north west, and our reservoir levels are above average for this time of year. Whatever the weather though, we always encourage our customers to use water wisely." Always check unitedutilities.com for the current position.
How the Error Happened
The original 13 July article was based on a secondary source that was not adequately checked against a primary United Utilities statement before publication — it was not sourced from an official United Utilities declaration, a statutory notice, or verified news reporting of one. No such declaration existed. The claim should never have been published in that form, and it sat live on this site for around two weeks before being identified and corrected.
Separately, United Utilities did impose a formal hosepipe ban from 5 August in 2018 — a genuine historical event covering the same North West supply area. We believe this 2018 date and company detail were the likely source of confusion that produced the incorrect 2026 claim, though the specific error occurred in our editorial process rather than in any single external article.
Water Industry Hub's standing policy is that no company's ban, TUB or restriction status is published without a confirmed primary source — a water company's own statement, a statutory notice, Ofwat, gov.uk, or established broadcast/print news reporting of one. That standard was not met here, and we have tightened our internal review process as a result.
Current Status — 7 August 2026 (reconfirmed)
🟢 No Hosepipe Ban — No Restrictions PlannedUnited Utilities has confirmed there is no Temporary Use Ban in place and none is currently planned across its supply area of Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside (~7 million customers). Reservoir levels were described as above average for the time of year as of 15 July 2026. Source: United Utilities, direct confirmation to Water Industry Hub, 24 July 2026; United Utilities spokesperson statement, 15 July 2026.
What United Utilities Has Actually Said
Asked directly whether a hosepipe ban was being considered for the North West, a United Utilities spokesperson said on 15 July 2026: "There are no plans for any restrictions in the north west, and our reservoir levels are above average for this time of year. Whatever the weather though, we always encourage our customers to use water wisely."
This is consistent with United Utilities' position that the North West — fed by a large reservoir network including Thirlmere and Haweswater in the Lake District — has not faced the same supply pressure this summer as parts of southern and eastern England, where several companies (Thames Water, South East Water, Anglian Water, Affinity Water, Cambridge Water, Southern Water, South West Water and Welsh Water) have declared genuine Temporary Use Bans.
Incorrect information about hosepipe ban status has real consequences — for a water company's reputation, for households and businesses making decisions based on what they read, and for the credibility of independent reporting on the sector. Water Industry Hub reports only on confirmed, primary-source information, and we do not publish a company's restriction status without one. We fell short of that standard in this case and have corrected it in full.
What This Means Going Forward
Water Industry Hub's live UK hosepipe ban tracker has been updated to remove United Utilities from the list of companies with a declared or in-force TUB, and now correctly shows the company alongside Yorkshire Water, Wessex Water, Northumbrian Water and Scottish Water as having no restrictions in place. If United Utilities' position changes, we will report it — sourced directly from the company or another confirmed primary source, with the date of verification stated clearly.
United Utilities — Key Facts at 24 July 2026
- Status: No hosepipe ban — no restrictions in place or planned
- Previous WIH article (13 July 2026) claiming a TUB from 5 August 2026 was incorrect and has been withdrawn
- Official quote (15 July 2026): "There are no plans for any restrictions in the north west, and our reservoir levels are above average for this time of year"
- ~7 million customers across Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside
- Confirmed directly to Water Industry Hub by United Utilities, 24 July 2026
Track All UK Water Company Hosepipe Ban Status
Water Industry Hub's full tracker covers all 19 UK water and water-only companies — updated as the situation changes, using primary sources only. If you supply the water sector, our directory of 7,835+ verified suppliers and live procurement intelligence are built for you.
Full UK Ban Tracker → United Utilities Tenders → UU Supply Chain Intel →Sources: United Utilities, direct confirmation to Water Industry Hub, 24 July 2026; United Utilities spokesperson statement reported by Warrington Guardian/Yahoo News UK, 15 July 2026; Water Industry Act 1991, Section 76 (Temporary Use Bans). Independent analysis by Water Industry Hub. Water Industry Hub is an independent intelligence service and is not affiliated with United Utilities. Always verify current status at unitedutilities.com.