Wessex Water is urging customers to cut back on non-essential water use as it tries to avoid introducing a hosepipe ban this summer.
The company says water resources across its region, which includes Wiltshire, remain stable, but months of exceptionally dry weather and continued high demand mean restrictions remain an option if usage does not fall.
Surface water reservoirs were 58 per cent full at the end of July, but demand has remained more than 30 per cent above average for 35 consecutive days. Wessex Water said this summer's hot, dry weather is comparable with - and in some respects has surpassed - the conditions experienced during the drought of 1976, when the last hosepipe ban was introduced in the region.
Wessex Water said the sustained demand is placing pressure on its network as teams work to move enough water around the region to meet record levels of use.
The company says a hosepipe ban would be a last resort and no such restrictions have been introduced in its region for 50 years. According to Wessex Water, it has avoided introducing restrictions through major investment in its water network and by reducing leakage by 60 per cent over the past 30 years.
Will Willoughby, Wessex Water's director of water supply, said: "We know that a hosepipe ban would not be welcome news for our customers, especially during the summer holidays. A ban is a last resort for us, and we don't want to introduce one, but we do need customers to help.
"If all customers can make small changes to their daily water use habits, this will make a big impact and help keep water flowing for each other, businesses and the environment."
Customers are being encouraged to avoid using hoses and sprinklers where possible, let lawns recover naturally, reuse water in the garden, keep showers short and avoid washing cars unless necessary.
The company says its teams have been working to find and repair leaks across the network, while also encouraging larger business customers to reduce non-essential water use.
"If demand doesn't reduce, we will need to introduce more formal restrictions to protect water supplies, which is why we're asking customers to work with us now to help avoid this," Mr Willoughby added.
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