Dr Lisa Gahan, Director Responsible for Water Resources:
“Reservoir levels across the South West are now very low and, in particular, are extremely low in Cornwall, following one of the driest periods in the region for over 130 years. Levels continue to fall and will remain low for the foreseeable future, without a sustained and substantial period of rainfall this Autumn, which is not currently forecasted.
“In Cornwall, we are now approaching a tipping point where demand for water exceeds supply. More than ever, it is absolutely crucial that people living in or visiting the South West, especially in Cornwall, do absolutely everything they can to reduce the amount of water they use. Our teams are out fixing more leaks than ever before, including repairing customer leaks for free, and speaking directly with customers to share water saving advice and devices. So far this year we have given more than 45,000 free water-saving devices to customers ranging from water butts to flow-reducing shower heads.
“Given the challenge our region faces, if the prolonged dry weather continues and demand doesn’t decrease, this may mean the introduction of additional restrictions over the coming weeks, such as asking businesses to only use water for essential purposes.
“We continue to work closely with the Environment Agency to carry out the necessary steps in our established Drought Plan to minimise the risk to water supplies. Among other measures, this includes increasing supplies through the application of Drought Permits, as well as moving water around the region to the worst affected areas.
“We will continue to keep our customers informed promptly and regularly, as we take all necessary steps to protect water resources across our region, especially in Cornwall.”
