Hosepipe ban in North Devon

But don't call 999

A hosepipe ban has been introduced in part of North Devon and across Cornwall.

It's been expected for some time, but came into effect at a minute past midnight on Tuesday morning.

South West Water's website has a tool so residents can check if their postcode is covered. The North Devon ban relates to the Upper Tamar region.

Some people are concerned that the company delayed a ban as the drought progressed, believing a business that makes money from providing a metered product didn't want to stop people watering their roses or washing their cars.

That's been disproved, certainly in the most western parts of its region, today.

The company says it wants rivers and reservoirs to recharge over the winter months.

They're encouraging to use rainwater "from a water butt, or a private borehole," if possible. Washing cars or watering gardens from a bucket or watering can are still allowed.

They also advise taking showers instead of baths or not running the tap when brushing teeth.

It hasn't got to the stage it did in the 1976 drought when people were encouraged to share baths.

Devon and Cornwall Police have asked nosy neighbours not to call 999 to report people flouting the ban. They say using a hosepipe, despite the ban, is not a criminal matter.

In its announcement, South West Water hasn't said what the penalty for using a hosepipe is, or to whom breaches should be reported. 

It does say: "Each and every day, teams across South West Water work tirelessly to deliver over 870 million litres of clean, safe and reliable drinking water to a population of circa 3.5m, rising to 10m as visitors flock to the region in the summer months, and that remains a priority.”

It doesn't say that over the summer, all kinds of horrors have been pumped in the sea in Devon. It's not a great summer for water in the county.