A resident has expressed shock and fury after witnessing Dulwich College using multiple sprinklers to water its sports pitches during a Thames Water hosepipe ban, despite students having broken up for the summer holidays weeks earlier.
Incident details
The angry resident took photos of the grounds of Dulwich College at around 8:55am on Thursday, July 23, almost nine hours after Thames Water introduced a hosepipe ban. The restrictions prohibit the use of hosepipes and sprinklers for watering gardens, cleaning cars or windows, or filling paddling pools, hot tubs, or swimming pools. The independent boys' school reportedly had more than one sprinkler on and was also caught watering the sports pitches later that same day.
The complainant said they were “angry and furious” at the considerable water usage, adding it showed “blatant disregard” for others. “I was quite shocked that they were using extensive amounts of water the day after the introduction of the ban,” they said. “And there is something about privilege, isn't it? It felt like it was a blatant disregard, like 'the rules don't include us'.”
School's exemption and response
Dulwich College, however, said it is exempt from the hosepipe ban because it is allowed to water “playing surfaces of sports pitches on health and safety grounds.” A spokesperson for the school, which broke up for summer holidays earlier in July, added they are “using water as conservatively as possible.” The school's sports calendar on its website shows the pitches were being used for 'Senior Rugby South Africa Tour Squad' training on Wednesday, July 22 and Thursday, July 23. According to the same sports calendar, the next scheduled use of the playing fields is on Tuesday, August 25 for Under 16 rugby pre-season training.
A spokesperson from Dulwich College said: “We have already responded to the enquiry raised by the member of the public, and I can confirm that the College is complying with the current Thames Water restrictions. Under the hosepipe ban introduced by Thames Water, which came into force at 00:01 BST on July 23, 2026, the playing surfaces of sports pitches are exempt from the restrictions on health and safety grounds. Watering is permitted where it is necessary to help maintain safe playing conditions and reduce the risk of injury. The College is operating within this exemption and is using water as conservatively as possible.”
Background and impact
Dulwich College, founded in 1619, is a leading day and boarding school for boys aged two until 18. The fees for the school currently reach up to £67,416 per year. The incident has sparked debate about perceived privilege and adherence to water conservation measures during a drought. The resident's complaints highlight public frustration with exemptions, even when legally permitted.
