Ditch the paddling pool and don't wash the car - Severn Trent asks customers to use water wisely this weekend

With another hot weekend forecast for the East Midlands, Severn Trent is urging customers to use water wisely.
Severn Trent is asking customers to give washing the car a miss this weekendSevern Trent is asking customers to give washing the car a miss this weekend
Severn Trent is asking customers to give washing the car a miss this weekend

Demand is currently high and the company is pumping an extra 300 million litres of water into supply every day. However, water is being used as quickly as it can be distributed.

The company says it is now giving customers an excuse to ditch chores like washing the car, to make sure there is enough water to go round for everyone, especially during peak times like mornings and evenings.

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Paddling pools also put increased demand on water supplies so why not give the kids a bucket of water and a water pistol instead to keep them entertained in the warm weather, the company says. If everyone is that little bit more neighbourly and thinks about others in their local communities it will help keep water flowing for everyone.

Water efficiency manager, Doug Clarke says: “The heatwave is here to stay so we’re asking people to be sensible and use water carefully to make sure there’s enough for everyone to enjoy.

"We’re producing 300 million litres more every day and we’re asking customers to do their bit too because we’re still seeing really high demand in the mornings and evenings

“Each person in the Severn Trent region uses around 133 litres of water on an average day and right now we’ve seen that jump up to a whopping 170 litres a day!

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"If everyone could just use around 20 litres less each it would make a massive difference to our supplies.

“We know people will be thinking about getting out in the garden and blowing up the paddling pool – but we’d ask them to save their breath, and water too, by putting it away for another day.

“Jobs like washing the car or watering the lawn can also wait, it’s far more important you use your water to keep cool and hydrated in this heat, plus it’s a great excuse to get out of any weekend jobs and put your feet up!”

Severn Trent has seen a significant increase in demand during the heatwave, and although there is plenty of water in reservoirs, this needs to be treated and the pipes are currently distributing as much as they can.

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Doug added: “Any little ways our customers can save water could mean the difference between you and your neighbours having water or not and I’m pretty sure in this heat, everyone would rather be able to have a cold glass of water than wash the car.”

Tips from Severn Trent on how to save water include:

* Put garden sprinklers away – a sprinkler can use as much as 1,000 litres of drinking water in just one hour – which is more water than a family of four would normally use in a whole day.

* Take a shower rather than a bath - It uses 40 litres less water and it’s quicker.

* Use a bucket and sponge rather than a hose. If you clean your car for 30 minutes you’ll use 50 times less water with a bucket instead of a hose.

Doug said: “The heatwave won’t last forever, but it’s always good to get into good water saving habits as water is a precious resource, and it’s important we all play our bit in looking after it.”