Report by Duncan Williams for Pulman's Weekly News
Visitors to Devon and Somerset are being urged to use water responsibly this summer as continued hot weather places increasing pressure on local supplies and the environment.
The Environment Agency (EA) has moved Devon into a “prolonged dry weather” status following the warmest spring on record and a series of heatwaves, with low river levels and increasingly dry conditions affecting the natural environment.
A hosepipe ban is already in place in Devon after periods of extreme heat led to “exceptionally high demand” for water.
The Environment Agency has warned that further drought measures cannot be ruled out, while the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has called on visitors, as well as local residents, to help reduce unnecessary water use.
Joanne Laeger, the Environment Agency’s environment planning and engagement manager, told local democracy reporters and the BBC that everyone, including holidaymakers visiting the South West, needed to …
