Every Drop Counts – Come Rain or Shine

Save water this summer

Following the Environment Agency's (EA) decision to declare half of England in drought, we're asking everyone to help use water wisely.
 
With less rainfall replenishing rivers, reservoirs and groundwater sources, and demand rising during hotter weather, water resources are coming under increasing pressure across the region.
 
The drought declaration reflects the exceptionally warm and dry conditions affecting much of the country. According to the Met Office, the UK has already experienced three heatwaves this year, with the period from March to July among the driest on record.
 
While these conditions are placing growing pressure on water resources and the environment, our water storage levels remain good across the region thanks to careful planning, investment and drought preparedness ahead of the summer season.
 
We're closely monitoring the situation, managing supplies carefully and continuing to invest in our network and water resources to help maintain resilient water supplies for our customers and communities. We are also fixing more leaks than ever before and are currently exceeding our planned targets for leak repairs, helping to reduce water loss across our network and make the best use of available water resources.
 
Reduced rainfall means that river levels in some areas are lower than would normally be expected for this time of year. To help protect the environment during periods of dry weather, South West Water releases water from reservoirs to support river flows, while continuing to supply drinking water to homes, businesses and communities across the region. When river levels are lower earlier, the reservoir storage is used for a longer period of time for supply and to support river flows. Higher demand for example in heatwaves increases the amount of reservoir storage used each day.

We're also continuing to invest to strengthen resilience for future dry weather.  At South West Water we are investing £2.5 billion between 2025 and 2030 to improve water and wastewater services, strengthen resilience and enhance environmental performance across the region. This includes upgrading water treatment works, reducing leakage, expanding smart metering and improving connections across our water network. 

Alongside investment in infrastructure, we're working in more than 80% of our drinking water catchments to help protect and improve the natural environment through projects including peatland restoration, reed bed creation and our award-winning Upstream Thinking programme

As always, water continues to be a precious resource, and prolonged dry conditions can place additional pressure on water supplies and the environment. That's why every drop still counts.
 
Simple actions at home and in the garden, such as taking shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth and being mindful when watering plants, can make a real difference. By using water wisely, we can all help protect local rivers, wildlife and water supplies for everyone.

Every Drop Counts. Small actions. A big difference.

A Temporary Use Ban remains in place in our Allers supply zone

Temporary restrictions on hosepipe use remain in place for customers in Mid Devon and parts of East Devon and Dorset. This includes Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, Honiton, South Molton, Dunkeswell, Axminster, Lyme Regis and the surrounding areas.
 
The restrictions came into effect at 12pm on Tuesday 14 July following an exceptional period of hot and dry weather, which led to significantly increased demand for water across the area.
 
Thank you for your support and for helping us use water wisely during this period of exceptionally hot and dry weather.

You can find more information here.

Frequently asked questions

Balancing water supplies throughout the year

Summer 2025 was drier than average, with 25% less rain than usual for the region and season. It was also hot, which meant we used more water as we watered gardens, took extra showers and filled paddling pools.

The dry weather and higher demand reduced combined storage in key reservoirs to around 50% in late summer 2025.

Our reservoirs returned to normal levels after the wettest Cornish winter since records began in 1836 (Devon’s winter was in the top 5 wettest on record). 

However, a changing climate, increasing demand and the need for more water to protect our natural environments has posed challenges as we move through the summer months of 2026.

Visiting the South West  

Demand for water goes up when there are more visitors. To ensure there is enough to go round, please only use what you need. Find out what you can do to reduce water use on your visit.