South West Water has confirmed that a hosepipe ban will apply across much of the south-west of England after a prolonged spell of dry weather placed strain on local water resources. The company said the restriction, which covers customers in Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly, bars the use of hosepipes for tasks such as watering gardens, washing vehicles, patios or boats, and filling swimming or paddling pools.
According to the firm, the measure was due to begin at 00:01 BST on Saturday, though it encouraged customers to start cutting back on non-essential water use straight away to help ease pressure on supplies. Water for essential purposes — drinking, cooking, washing and flushing toilets — remains unaffected.
However, separate information published by South West Water itself paints a somewhat different picture of scope and timing. According to the company's own hosepipe ban notice, the restriction actually applies specifically to Mid Devon and parts of East Devon, rather than the broader south-west region described above, and came into force at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. The same notice states the ban will remain in place "until further notification" rather than for a fixed period. Both versions are reported here as neither the original announcement nor the company's published notice can be independently reconciled.
The full restriction notice, published by South West Water, clarifies that the ban also extends beyond ordinary hosepipes to cover sprinklers, dripper hoses, automatic irrigation systems and similar watering devices. The company's list of affected towns and areas includes Tiverton, Cullompton, Bampton, Honiton, Dunkeswell, Axminster, Lyme Regis and South Molton. Customers are still permitted to water gardens using a bucket or watering can, and may continue to use rainwater, grey water or supplies drawn from private boreholes, since the restriction applies only to water delivered through the mains network.
This is not the first such measure taken by the company this summer. In July, South West Water had already introduced a hosepipe ban covering parts of Devon and the town of Lyme Regis in Dorset, and it had previously imposed restrictions in the Allers supply area of Devon, according to the company's published notice. That earlier notice stated that any formal objections to the restriction needed to be submitted by 09:00 on 14 July 2026, according to the same South West Water document.
Why has the ban been introduced?
The company points to an unusually dry stretch of weather combined with sustained high demand as the driving factors behind the decision. Sam Bottomley, South West Water's water services director, said the choice to impose restrictions was never taken lightly.
"After an extended period of exceptionally low rainfall, combined with sustained high demand during the warmer weather, our region's rivers and water resources are under significant pressure," he said.
"Every litre saved now will help protect our rivers and water resources while drought conditions continue."
The firm noted this followed one of the driest periods the region has experienced in recent years, coming after the Environment Agency formally declared drought conditions across more than half of England in July. Rainfall has remained substantially below seasonal norms for several months. The Met Office has confirmed that July 2026 was the driest such month recorded in England and Wales in 190 years of record-keeping.
South West Water said it takes care to weigh up what steps are genuinely needed to keep supplies secure for customers, and pledged ongoing monitoring of the situation.
"The company will continue to monitor drought conditions and provide regular updates to customers," a spokesperson said.
How is the company responding to rising demand?
Bottomley said usage had climbed noticeably as a result of repeated heatwaves this year.
"We're taking these actions now to preserve the supplies going forward."
"It's really down to [water] consumption, if we all lean in... and reduce the water consumption that will massively help us but we really are reliant on when the rain comes."
"None of us want to restrict any of our customers using water but I think these proactive actions are important right now."
Anna Gelderd, the MP for South East Cornwall, said her constituency was already showing visible signs of the extended dry spell.
"[The area is] feeling the effects of an exceptionally dry summer, with parched fields, gardens, and green spaces."
"I know the hosepipe ban will be disappointing for many local people, but it shows how seriously we need to take the pressures facing our water and natural environment. At the same time, residents rightly expect South West Water to do everything it can to reduce leaks and protect our water supply."
How does this fit into the wider national picture?
South West Water's action follows a series of similar measures introduced by other suppliers across England this summer as reservoirs and groundwater levels have come under strain. Restrictions affecting more than eight million households were introduced in south-east England in mid-July, while Thames Water announced a ban covering over ten million customers after an exceptionally warm spring and three separate heatwaves pushed demand well above normal levels. Further east, Anglian Water introduced its first hosepipe ban in a decade amid record heat, and Cambridge Water joined Anglian Water in enforcing temporary restrictions in one of the country's driest regions.
What happens next?
South West Water has said it will track demand on a daily basis and use that data to determine when restrictions can eventually be lifted, according to local reporting from Cornwall Live. No fixed end date has been set, with the company instead tying any decision to how drought conditions and reservoir levels develop in the coming weeks.
Key Facts
- South West Water's hosepipe ban covers Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset, and the Isles of Scilly, according to the company's initial announcement.
- South West Water's own published notice states the ban is limited to Mid Devon and parts of East Devon and took effect at noon on 14 July 2026.
- The restriction bans hosepipes, sprinklers, dripper hoses and automatic irrigation systems, but allows watering by bucket or watering can and use of rainwater, grey water or private boreholes.
- July 2026 was the driest July on record for England and Wales in 190 years, according to the Met Office.
- The company says it will monitor demand daily to decide when the ban can be lifted.
