Hosepipe ban extended in Cornwall and Devon and won't be lifted until December 'without drought-breaking rainfall'

A hosepipe ban has been extended to include Cornwall and new parts of Devon as the region continues to experience lower than average levels of rainfall.

South West Water (SWW) said it was taking action to "break the cycle of drought" after reservoir levels fell to their lowest recorded level last year, with some water storage already lower than this time in 2022.

Around 390,000 homes will be affected by the restrictions. The ban is set to remain in place until 1 December but may be lifted "sooner" if the area receives "drought-breaking rainfall".

The new ban, introduced on Tuesday 25 April, applies to the Roadford reservoir supply area and includes both Plymouth and Torquay.

Confirmed breaches could result in a £1,000 fine - although the company does assure its customers this will be used as a last resort for people who "persistently ignore the rules".

The ban only applies to households not businesses, with a number of exemptions available for Blue Badge holders and households with pets like fish.

Activities covered by the ban include using hosepipes to water gardens, clean cars or fill pools, as well as using sprinklers on the lawn.

The ban comes shortly after the National Drought Group warned in February that England is 'one dry spell' away from drought.

This February was the driest on record, with rainfall at only 6% of the 30-year normal level.

Last summer's heatwave led to a drought in most of England, but Cornwall experienced its hottest temperatures ever recorded.

Devon and Cornwall are two of only four regions, including the Isles of Scilly and East Anglia, which are yet to recover. They have all remained in official drought status, as declared by the Environment Agency.

In a statement on its website, SWW said: "Our water resources across the region remain under pressure and as we go into the summer period we have taken the necessary action to safeguard supplies and break the cycle of drought following lower than average levels of rainfall last year and throughout February."

Read more UK news:
Woman wakes up on train to find naked man sitting next to her
Hosepipe ban extended in Cornwall and Devon
Millions to get £301 in their bank accounts from today

The company also hopes to protect certain habitats and wildlife that rely heavily on water in the environment.

An existing hosepipe ban was in place for Cornwall and a small part of North Devon.

Reservoir levels are recovering across the area, but still remain lower than last year.