North Yorkshire Police have asked residents to refrain from calling 999 to report hosepipe ban breaches.
The plea comes ahead of the ban, which came into effect on Friday 11th July.
Temporary restrictions prevent the use of a hosepipe to water the garden or clean cars, among other activities.
A police spokesperson said:
“Any call made to the police about this could divert our call handlers away from dealing with real emergencies.
“So, if you have any questions about the restrictions, or any concerns about a potential breach, we would please ask that you follow the latest advice from Yorkshire Water, or your water provider.”
Due to the hot and dry weather, Yorkshire Water have been forced to supply an additional 4.3 billion litres of water between April and June compared with a typical year.
As a result, Yorkshire’s reservoirs are currently at 55.8% - 26.1% lower than they would normally be at this time of year.
But residents are being asked not to report neighbours or other breaches via 999.
A police spokesperson added:
“Let's keep our colleagues free to take genuine calls from those really in need of help.
“As always, if a crime is in progress or if there is an immediate risk to person or property, always dial 999.
“If a crime is not in progress, then please consider reporting the incident online to us via our website in the first instance. Alternatively, you can call 101.”

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