Northamptonshire residents face continued restrictions on water use despite the arrival of cooler autumn weather, with drought conditions potentially lasting until spring 2027.

Anglian Water has confirmed that the hosepipe ban introduced on July 10 will remain in force, warning that recent rainfall has done little to reverse the effects of an exceptionally hot and dry summer.

The company says rivers, reservoirs and underground water supplies remain significantly depleted, with several months of sustained rainfall needed before restrictions can be reconsidered.

The Environment Agency has already warned that East Anglia could remain in drought until next spring.

Anglian Water is installing hundreds of kilometres of new pipes across its network and progressing plans for two new reservoirs and a desalination plant

placeholder image — Anglian Water is installing hundreds of kilometres of new pipes across its network and progressing plans for two new reservoirs and a desalination plant

The announcement follows the driest March to September period recorded in the East of England since records began in 1899.

Rainfall during those seven months amounted to just 51 per cent of the long-term average, while England experienced its hottest summer on record.

Anglian Water said the pressure on supplies had been compounded by unusually high demand, with customers using a third more water than normal during the hottest periods.

Laura Tuplin, the company's programme manager for long-term drought resilience, said: “We've started to see some cooler temperatures and rainfall over recent weeks, but drought conditions don't end overnight.

“It takes sustained rainfall over a longer period to replenish rivers, groundwater and reservoir levels after such a prolonged dry spell.”

She added that more rainfall than usual would be needed over winter to restore supplies to appropriate levels.

The continuing drought has also highlighted pressure on the region's water network.

Anglian Water says dry ground has contributed to an increase in burst pipes and leaks, with shrinking soil causing underground pipes to move and fracture.

The company has been repairing around 800 leaks a week, a 44 per cent increase on summer 2025, but acknowledges that a significant backlog remains.

Almost 13,000 leaks had been repaired by the end of August.

Meanwhile, a £348 million programme aims to replace 1,134km of ageing water mains by 2030, potentially saving 940 million litres annually once completed.

Ian Rule, director of water services at Anglian Water, said: “We're already making good progress through our largest ever investment plan, but we know we need to do more.”

Longer-term plans include two new reservoirs and proposed desalination plants to provide additional water supplies.

For now, households must continue observing restrictions while the company monitors rainfall and water levels.