South West Water to remove hosepipe ban in Cornwall after 13 months

A hosepipe ban across Cornwall and a small part of Devon is set to be lifted on 25 September.

South West Water (SWW) announced the news on its website on Thursday 22 August.

The company said the ban - which will have been in place for more than 13 months by September - will be lifted following the recent rainfall.

However, SSW stressed that the region remains in official drought status and urged the public to continue conserving water where they can.

Most of Devon will continue to have a hosepipe ban because water levels at the Roadford Reservoir have not improved as much as Colliford and Wimbleball.

SWW said water levels at Roadford Reservoir, which services much of Devon, would be reviewed "at the end of the peak tourist season".

In a statement online, SWW said: "Since the restrictions have been in place, there have been positive developments due to the collaboration of customers, South West Water's investments, and recent rainfall.

"Colliford Reservoir is at 57% storage, up 19% from last year.

"Climate change has shown how unpredictable weather patterns can be and we must continue to protect the region’s rivers and beautiful natural resources.

"We want to emphasise that water is a valuable resource and urge residents, businesses, and visitors to use water responsibly and Save Every Drop.

"We will continue to closely monitor water resources, the weather and demand. We have been working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure any decisions are taken responsibly.  We appreciate the efforts of our customers, visitors and businesses in conserving water."

Water levels at Roadford Reservoir have only increased by 3% in comparison to this time last year.

Colliford on Bodmin Moor is at 57%, an increase of 19% recorded at the same time last year.

Whereas Wimbleball Reservoir has recorded levels of 77% - a huge jump from 43% last year.