Thousands of households in the UK are set to face a hosepipe ban due to ongoing hot weather conditions this summer. South West Water (SWW) has announced the implementation of water usage restrictions in various areas of Devon starting from 12pm on Tuesday, July 14.

Residents in the affected regions are advised to comply with the restrictions immediately, which include refraining from using hosepipes for activities such as watering gardens, filling pools, and washing vehicles, patios, or boats. The areas impacted by the ban are Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, Honiton, South Molton, Dunkeswell, Axminster, and Lyme Regis.

The decision to enforce the ban follows two heatwaves in the UK, leading to record-high temperatures in the South West. SWW has noted a significant surge in water demand, approximately 5.4 million liters per day, in these specific localities, despite operating treatment facilities continuously for the past three weeks.

David Harris, the Managing Director for Water Services at South West Water, highlighted the strain on the drinking water network in Mid Devon and parts of East Devon due to the prolonged hot weather. The company is working tirelessly to maintain water production at maximum capacity to safeguard water supplies for customers in the region.

SWW has mobilized additional tankers to transport water to the affected areas and ramped up efforts to detect and repair leaks, preventing a daily loss of 3.5 million liters of water. Furthermore, water is being redirected from less impacted neighboring regions to alleviate the strain caused by the heatwave.

The water company assures customers that they are monitoring daily demand levels and will lift restrictions once water supply networks have recovered to normal levels.