Water customers in the South West are expressing frustration over leaks, with one resident in Brixham, Devon, stating a leak ran for approximately a month while a hosepipe ban is in place. Dr Rebecca Hooker, who lives near the leak, said she was being careful with water but the leak persisted.
South West Water has implemented a hosepipe ban across Devon, Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Dorset and Somerset due to hot and dry weather impacting water supplies. The company stated it repaired the Brixham leak after obtaining the necessary traffic management permit.
The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) rated South West Water as "weak" for annual leakage in its 2025 Water Mark assessment. Data from 2024/25 shows South West Water lost 107 million litres of water per day due to leakage, a decrease from 118 million litres per day the previous year.
Ofwat, the water regulator, expects all water companies to address leaks promptly, particularly during periods of widespread drought. The Department of Food and Rural Affairs indicated that the government is planning reforms to establish a new regulator to oversee water companies.