Call for customers to save water this summer
Posted: 14 July 2022
With the UK in the grips of a heatwave, we are asking you for your help to save water.
Natalie Akroyd, Water Resources Manager at South Staffs Water, explains;
“When we have hot weather, we see water use increase dramatically, with some customers using hosepipes, sprinklers and having more cold showers, particularly in the evenings. As the hot weather continues, this can put pressure on our existing water supplies, potentially causing customers to have low pressure, and it means we have to take more water from the environment.
“We always monitor our water supplies closely and have plans in place if the hot weather continues in the long term. However, as temperatures continue to rise, we are asking all our customers to use water wisely to ensure there is enough for drinking, cooking, cleaning and other essential use, as well as reducing any potential impact on the environment.
“We're seeing customers use more than 20% water than usual, that's equivalent to 30 more litres per day. Water use on Monday 11 July was 399 million litres (more than 159 Olympic-sized swimming pools), compared to an annual average of 328 in June - that’s more than an extra 28 swimming pools worth of water in one day.
“At this stage we are not placing any restrictions on customers but, if the heatwave continues for an extended period and customers do not reduce their non-essential use, we can consider temporary usage bans (known as hosepipe bans) if necessary.
“You can help by following our summer water-saving tips:
- Water plants with a watering can instead of a hose
- Save the water from your paddling pool and use it again, or use it to water your garden
- Don’t water your lawn, even if it turns brown (it will recover as soon as it rains again)
- Clean your car with a bucket of water (use the water from the paddling pool if you can) or let it stay dirty
- Take a shorter shower (you’ll save energy too)
“We know we also have a role to play; we have a dedicated leakage team to look for and monitor potential leaks. They use many techniques, including satellite technology and we have allocated additional resources to fix any leaks that are discovered. We ask anyone who spots a leak to let us know as soon as possible.
“If we all use water wisely this summer, we can continue to enjoy the hot weather with enough water for everyone.”
Water resources and demand at the end of June
