South West Water's Temporary Use Ban for people in Cornwall and the Upper Tamar region in Northern Devon started at 00:01 on Tuesday 23 August 2022, the company announced that morning1. The ban, also known as a hosepipe ban, was announced on Monday 15 August1. South West Water said it was acting in areas of the region where it is forecasting pressures on reservoirs, to protect water resources and the environment and to allow rivers and reservoirs to recharge over the winter months1. The company described the ban as the next step in its published drought plan, following the declaration of drought in 8 areas across England the previous Friday2.
Activities covered by the ban include using hosepipes to water gardens or clean cars1. South West Water said customers can still undertake these activities without a hosepipe by using tap water from a bucket or watering can, or water not sourced from taps such as rainwater from a water butt or a private borehole1. The measure does not apply to blue badge holders or those on South West Water's priority register, and businesses and farmers are unaffected1.
The company said the eight-month period from November 2021 to June 2022 was the driest in England since 1976, and that July 2022 was the driest July for England since 1935, with just 35% of its average rainfall2. It said reservoir levels started the year at circa 97%, and that it has invested in three new reservoirs since 20072. South West Water said it supplies over 870 million litres of drinking water a day to a population of circa 3.5 million, rising to 10 million as visitors arrive in the summer months1.
"Due to the prolonged dry weather, we believe the right thing to do is to introduce a Temporary Use Ban, acting now in areas of the region where we are forecasting pressures on reservoirs, to protect water resources and to safeguard the environment, allowing rivers and reservoirs to recharge over the winter months."
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced | Monday 15 August 20221 |
| In effect from | 00:01, Tuesday 23 August 20221 |
| Areas | Cornwall and the Upper Tamar region in Northern Devon1 |
| Covered | Using hosepipes to water gardens or clean cars1 |
| Exempt | Blue badge holders; those on South West Water's priority register1 |
| Not affected | Businesses and farmers1 |
Why it matters for households
Households in Cornwall and the Upper Tamar region are affected from 23 August 2022. Garden watering and car cleaning by hosepipe are covered, while the same tasks remain possible with a bucket, watering can, water butt or private borehole1. Blue badge holders and priority register customers are exempt1. South West Water is sharing water saving advice, such as taking showers instead of baths and not running the tap when brushing teeth, and offers free water saving devices including shower regulators and leaky loo detectors1. The company said around 30% of leaks in the region occur on private supplies and that it is offering a free find and fix repair service at this time2. Further information for households and priority services customers is available at southwestwater.co.uk/tub1. Our hosepipe bans guide explains how Temporary Use Bans work, and the water shortage and hosepipe ban checklist covers household preparation; both sit within the heatwaves and drought section.
What happens next
South West Water said it will keep everyone updated on when the Temporary Use Ban will be lifted1. No date for lifting the ban has been reported.
Sources (2)
- Temporary Use Ban for Cornwall and parts of North Devon starts today, southwestwater.co.uk
- Temporary Use Ban for Cornwall and Upper Tamar Region, southwestwater.co.uk
Household Guide to Drought
