This market will resolve to "Yes" if any water company in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland officially implements a hosepipe ban (Temporary Use Ban) that comes into effect on or before July 31, 2026, 23:59 GMT + 0. Otherwise, it will resolve to "No."

The ban must be formally announced and legally enforceable — voluntary appeals to reduce water usage do not count. The ban must actually come into force before the deadline; announcements of future bans taking effect after July 31 do not qualify.

If a ban is announced but then rescinded before taking effect, this does not count toward resolution. Localized restrictions affecting only commercial properties do not qualify; the ban must apply to domestic customers.

The primary resolution source will be official announcements from UK water companies (such as Thames Water, United Utilities, Severn Trent, etc.) and confirmation from the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, or SEPA. Credible reporting from BBC News, The Guardian, or other major UK outlets may also be used to confirm the outcome.

If official sources become unavailable or do not clearly confirm the status, this market may be resolved based on credible consensus reporting. Resolution disputes follow the platform's standard dispute process.