Devon and Cornwall hosepipe ban lifted 13 months on

The utility said recent rain and reviews of reservoir levels are behind the decision

A hosepipe ban that had been in place in parts of Devon and Cornwall for more than a year has been lifted.

"All restrictions", which came into force in August 2022, have been removed, South West Water (SWW) said.

Announcing the move last week, the utility said recent rain and reviews of reservoir levels guided the decision.

SWW added it would still "closely monitor water resources", and thanked "customers, visitors and businesses in conserving water".

"They acted responsibly, they responded to our message." said SWW Drought Resilience Director, David Harris.

However, he said people need to remain cautious.

"We just want to remind customers to keep in mind the preciousness of the water resource and the behavioural changes they have made.

"If they could make those permanent, we would really encourage that," he added.

• Listen: South West Water on the end of the hosepipe ban

SWW said Roadford Reservoir was at 53% storage, up 10% from this time last year, and Colliford Reservoir was at 52% storage, up 28% from last year.

Colliford provides water across Cornwall and a small part of north Devon.

Roadford covers the rest of north Devon, with its supplies also servicing Plymouth and parts of south-west Devon.