AFTER one of the hottest and driest summers on record, water has become a daily concern for many households and businesses across Central Devon.

Last week South West Water applied to the Government for a drought order that would restrict the non-essential use of mains water by businesses in and around Crediton, as well as Exeter, Tiverton and surrounding parts of Mid and East Devon.

If the order is approved, affected businesses would be prevented from using mains water for things such as washing vehicles, cleaning buildings and premises, watering plants on commercial sites, filling certain pools and ponds, and dust suppression. Household customers would not be covered by these new restrictions, although the hosepipe ban that came into force on August 8 remains in place for everyone served by South West Water.

The reason is simple: too little rain for too long. River flows in some areas are now too low to meet demand, and the company has had to rely on its reservoirs, including Wimbleball, for months longer than usual.

Devon is not alone. Across England, around 30 million people have been living with some form of restriction on their water use this summer.

Water companies in England and Wales lose roughly 3,000 million litres a day through leaks, around a fifth of all the water they put into supply.

I know these restrictions will be difficult for some local firms.

Garages, garden centres, cleaning companies and many others rely on water to trade, and many already face higher costs.

Our farmers have also had a challenging year. I would urge any business that is unsure how the proposed order might affect it to check South West Water's website or contact the company directly, and to get in touch with my office if they run into problems.

There are small steps we can all take at home. Shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing our teeth, running washing machines and dishwashers only when full, and fixing dripping taps all help.

Every litre saved eases pressure on our reservoirs until proper rainfall returns.

In the longer term, we need to plan for drier summers becoming more common.

The Government has said that Havant Thicket, together with nine new reservoirs and further water transfer schemes, should add around 700 million litres a day by 2050.

That is welcome, but a long way off. In the meantime, the priority must be cutting leakage, improving the resilience of our local network and making sure that customers in Devon get value for the bills they pay.

I will follow this closely and press for clear information for residents and businesses as decisions are made.

You can follow my work on X @MelJStride, on Facebook at Mel Stride MP, or visit www.melstridemp.com.