Residents in Cornwall and Devon urged to cut down on shower time to save water

South West Water (SWW) wants people to save around five litres of water per day

Porthminster Beach with St Ives in the background, Cornwall (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Residents in Devon and Cornwall are being warned to cut down on shower time in a bid to save water as the hot weather and impending surge in summer tourism could impact water levels.

South West Water (SWW) wants people to save around five litres of water per day and has also suggested people stop using hose pipes, which can use 1,000 litres an hour.

The company said that more people moving to area, increased staycations and the hot start to the summer were all to blame for the issue, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.

The company reiterated that reservoir levels were currently good but that due to the various dry spells in the last 12 months they wanted to ensure there was a good enough supply.

It comes as the UK has been hit with another spell of hot weather this week and a heatwave could return in time for the school holidays.

Lisa Gahan, SWW director responsible for water resources, told the Daily Telegraph: “It’s been very dry over the last 12 months and while reservoir levels are good we have had lots of dry spells.

“More people are coming down on holiday and more people are living here. We just want to make sure there’s enough water for everyone to enjoy.”

Other suggestions from the company to save water include turning your taps off when brushing your teeth and watering your plants in the morning or evening so it takes longer for it to evaporate.

Devon and Cornwall are two of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK, with at least 200,000 holidaymakers in the latter at any one time, according to tourist board data.