Water levels 'not where they should be' as hosepipe ban remains in place in Devon and Cornwall

Hosepipe bans have been in place for part of the South West since August last year. Credit: PA

South West Water is urging people to reduce their water use wherever possible. 

A hosepipe ban has been in place in Cornwall and parts of North Devon since August last year, with more parts of Devon added to the area affected in April.

The restrictions to reduce non-essential water usage come after below-average levels of rainfall last year and throughout February.

South West Water says reservoir levels across the region are still not as full as they should be ahead of the summer because of lower-than-average rainfall in May and June.

Colliford Reservoir dropped to around 15% last year.

Colliford Reservoir, which dropped to around 15% last year, is currently around 2% higher than it was this time last year. Roadford Reservoir currently has nearly 16% less water than the same time in 2022.

South West Water says it is investing £125million in its water resources. By 2025, it aims to significantly increase resources by 45% in Cornwall and 30% in Devon.

For the time being, the company is urging people to change how they think about water usage.

South West Water’s Save Every Drop campaign tells people how to reduce non-essential water usage. 

South West Water’s drought and resilience director David Harris,said: “The impact of climate change has been intensified by population growth and tourism, and as a result our reservoirs are still not where we need them to be.

“That’s why we need customers, businesses and visitors in our beautiful region to continue to do their part and reduce their water use whenever possible. We are not asking customers to stop using water, we are asking that they use it responsibly."