South West Water not planning to impose water restrictions

Forty metres below the surface of Roadford Reservoir in Devon there's an array of pipes, dials and buttons. The reservoir is one of Britain's largest and supplies many hundreds of thousands of people in North Devon as well as parts of Plymouth and even Torbay. But with a capacity to hold thirty seven billion litres of water, it's currently 81% full, it’s no surprise that a hosepipe ban for South West England isn't around the corner. Neil Whiter, the Head of Supply/Demand Strategy for South West Water says:

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South West Water says it ensures there is enough in the system to far exceed demand. The company can move water around as needed emptying from Roadford into the River Tamar to be carried to smaller reservoirs and water treatment works. But this multi-million pound investment comes at a price and South West Water customers pay the highest bills in the country. Money that’s been spent on topping up supplies with two new reservoirs in Cornwall and new pump storage systems around the West Country such as at Wimbleball Reservoir in Somerset.

Despite recent rainfall the region is still suffering environmental drought having only had 85% of what would have been expected. The message from the region’s water companies and the Environment Agency is for everyone to still save water even though supplies are good.