Water restrictions to be brought in if dry spell continues, South West Water says
We are waiting for an update from Cornwall's provider, after a drought was declared
Last updated 12th Aug 2022
We are waiting for an update from South West Water on possible restrictions, after a drought was declared in Cornwall and Devon.
In a statement released before the announcement, the company said it would 'take the next step to introduce restrictions' if high demand and the unprecedented spell of hot and dry weather continue.
As of last Sunday (7th August), reservoir levels across the region were at an average of 49.4% full.
In the Duchy, Colliford on Bodmin Moor was standing at 40.1% and Stithians near Redruth at 39.5%
The National Drought Group moved our counties into drought status on Friday 12th August, following what has been the UK's driest summer for 50 years.
In a statement, South West Water said: "We are here to deliver over 870 million litres of clean, safe, and reliable drinking water every day to a population of 3.5m customers and rising to ten million in the summer months.
"We share water saving tips and advice with customers all year round urging everyone to play their part in avoiding non-essential water usage such as using a hosepipe in the garden or not running the tap when brushing teeth.
"If we continue to experience an unprecedented and prolonged period of hot and dry weather, alongside extremely high levels of demand we will take the next step to introduce water restrictions to help reduce usage and to protect the environment.
"We continue to review our position daily and will keep customers and communities fully informed via our website, social media channels as well as through the media".
You can find more tips on how to save water on South West Water's website.