A hosepipe ban has been put into effect in large areas of Devon to help reserve water supplies at Roadford Reservoir before the summer

South West Water has estimated that approximately 390,000 homes in the county will be affected by the restriction.

The ban prohibits the use of hoses for gardening or washing cars in households, but businesses are exempt.

The ban is projected to reduce demand by around 5%, and reservoir levels across SWW’s network have been reported to be 17% lower than last year. Roadford reservoir is at approximately 70% capacity.

More news from Devon