South West Water urges customers to avoid non-essential water use

South West Water urged its customers to avoid any non-essential water use, including the use of a hosepipe for gardening and washing cars and windows, during a continued period of hot and dry weather. The company published the call alongside garden water-saving tips from TV gardener Daisy Payne¹.

The company said the current high levels of demand and unprecedented weather conditions meant its reservoirs were lower than usual for the time of year¹. It cited the driest July for England since 1935, with just 35% of average rainfall, and said hosepipes use around 1,000 litres of water per hour¹.

Lisa Gahan, the Director Responsible for Water Resources at South West Water, said the garden tends to be the outlet for a considerable amount of water, with hosepipes using around 1,000 litres an hour when in use¹. She said the company was sharing Daisy Payne's tips on reducing water usage in the garden, and that climate change is likely to bring more prolonged hot and dry weather conditions like those being seen¹.

The tips published by the company include watering plants in the morning or evening while it is still cool, since watering during the day means the heat can cause the water to evaporate before plants absorb it, and targeting the roots when watering, as plants take moisture from the surrounding soil or compost¹. They also include reusing washing up water, as long as it does not contain bleach, or bathwater, by putting it into buckets for the garden, and using a watering can instead of a hosepipe¹. For pots, the guidance suggests an absorbent mat or saucer underneath to catch water as it flows through, and a layer of organic matter on top of the soil to keep the garden moist¹. On lawns, it says not to worry, as they will bounce back, and that if mowing is needed the mower should be set to cut higher with clippings left where they fall to act as mulch¹. It also suggests drought tolerant plants such as lavender, hebe, salvia, olive trees, euphorbia, cosmos, verbena, Californian poppy, globe thistle and sedum, and a water butt to collect rainwater¹.

Why it matters for households

The request applies to South West Water customers in the South West of England, and covers garden watering by hosepipe and washing cars and windows¹. The company has not announced a formal hosepipe ban in the material published; it has asked customers to avoid non-essential use. Households wanting to cut use can follow the guidance on saving water at home when supplies are low, on watering the garden, allotment and new lawn in a hosepipe ban and on paddling pools, ponds and car washing during a hosepipe ban. The wider context of the hot, dry spell is covered in the guide to heatwaves and drought, with separate guidance on how much water to drink in hot weather and on keeping cool during a power cut in hot weather.

What happens next

The company said the prolonged hot and dry weather was predicted to continue throughout the UK¹. No end date for the request, and no date for any formal restriction, has been reported.