To accommodate the large number of visitors this summer, residents of Cornwall and Devon have been advised to take shorter showers.
Residents there will need to conserve five liters of water each day to prevent reservoirs from drying out, according to South West Water (SWW).
The west country had an increase in staycations during the pandemic, more people coming to the area, and heatwaves, according to the water firm, which blamed these factors for the summer’s water shortage.
There have been recurring conflicts between locals and owners of second homes, who have raised the cost of real estate in Cornwall. Some of these homes have even been vandalized.
In many regions of the UK, temperatures of at least 77 degrees Fahrenheit are predicted for the upcoming week.
According to SWW, the scorching weather and the massive influx of people to Cornwall and Devon would strain those regions’ water supplies.
According to the company, if everyone in the region cut back by only five litres, 10 million liters of water—150 litres per person per day—could be saved.
According to a SWW representative, homeowners may save eight liters of water simply by shaving off one minute from their daily showers, and six liters by turning off the tap one minute early.
“It’s been incredibly dry over the last 12 months, and while reservoir levels are fine, we have had many of dry periods,” said Lisa Gahan, SWW director for water resources.
“More people are moving here and more people are coming down for vacations.” Simply put, we want to ensure that there is enough water for everyone to use.
She continued, “Simple things like putting hoses away make a tremendous difference,” pointing out that hose pipes can consume 1,000 liters of water every hour.
According to Ms. Gahan, Cornwall has not had to impose any water usage limits since the drought in the summer of 1976. If we are diligent, we can have another year without any limitations, she remarked.
This summer, a record-breaking number of tourists—200,000 at any given time—are anticipated to go to Cornwall.
In May of last year, 400,000 visits per week were predicted to occur.
The enormous number of second houses in Cornwall is also anticipated to put strain on the community’s water supply, and in the past, issues with locals have arisen as a result of the amount of people who own vacation homes there.
In Cornwall, which has a population of 500,000, there are about 12,700 second residences and 11,000 vacation rentals.
However, the housing registry for the area also lists over 21,000 people.
Data provided by the local government indicates that up to 40% of dwellings in some regions of Cornwall are second homes.
The price of homes has increased due to the spike in demand for second homes in the well-liked region in the southwest.
The average cost of a home in Cornwall is over £334,500, according to data from the Land Registry earlier this year, up from £224,624 in 2018.
The Office for National Statistics estimates that the average house price in the UK is £280,000, making this far more expensive.
Locals in Cornwall have reacted negatively to the rising popularity of second houses, with some holiday homes even receiving graffiti in March in opposition to visitors driving out long-term inhabitants.