Severn Trent’s Draycote Water reservoir in Warwickshire is 80% full thanks to the wet winter, the water firm said, meaning supplies are fairly healthy.
However, the firm said it had experienced record demand during the heatwaves and its staff were “working around the clock” to treat more water, move supplies where they were needed and fix leaks.
Although it had not issued a hosepipe ban in 30 years, Doug Clarke, from the firm, suggested customers “leave the lawn”.
“We know they go dormant and look dead and dry but actually they do recover, they do come back when the rains come, “he said.
He also advised people to “look out for those leaky loos in the home” and fill a jug of cold water in the fridge instead of running the tap.
The firm also asked people to avoid hosepipes or sprinklers, which it said could use about 1,000 litres an hour, and instead recycle paddling pool water for the garden.
Their advice was echoed by a spokesperson for South Staffordshire Water, external who urged only those who struggled to carry a watering can to use a hosepipe “as sparingly as possible” – and let your lawn go brown.