As the southern heatwave continues, Essex & Suffolk Water is encouraging customers to use water wisely after seeing near record demands for water in the Suffolk region yesterday (Thursday August 6, 2020).
Customers across Suffolk were using more than 17% more water than usual, with there being only one day higher than this in the past 12 years which was back in May earlier this year.
Meanwhile, customers across Essex were using a total of 500 million litres of water – one of the highest demands for water in this region seen so far during 2020.
Although water supplies in the East of England remain at normal levels for this time of year, the company says it is good practice for everyone to remember water is worth saving and to be careful not to be wasteful of what is a valuable natural resource.
Craig Holliday, Head of Water Supply at Essex & Suffolk Water said: “Our water supplies remain healthy at this time and while there is no overall shortage of water, it is important people use it wisely.
“The sunshine and hot weather, together with more people remaining at home, has meant we’ve seen near record levels of demand for water over the last couple of days and we expect this to continue over the weekend.
“We’re used to managing demand and keeping the water flowing but water is worth saving and we would ask our customers to use it wisely to help us manage supplies and protect this precious resource.
"Even small changes can make a big difference, so if you are watering plants do it early in the morning or later in the evening so they can absorb the moisture. If you have a large inflatable paddling pool, please consider not filling it right to the top and when emptying, use the water afterwards to water your plants rather than just pulling the plug out.”
Essex & Suffolk Water has a whole host of water saving tips on its summer pages of its website at www.eswater.co.uk/summer to help customers conserve water and protect the environment.
They include:
- Water plants in the evening or first thing in the morning, to retain moisture in the soil.
- Don't fill the paddling pool to the top - you could save 30 litres of water per inch saved.
- Keep a jug of water in the fridge so you have cool and refreshing water to hand, saving you running the tap.
- Use a watering can to water the garden, instead of a hose or sprinkler system.
- Use a bucket rather than a hose to wash the car.
- Have a refreshing shower rather than a bath and save 10 litres every time. By taking shorter showers (aim for four minutes per day) - you can save up to 17 litres per day.
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth and save 6 litres of water each time.
- Use full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine.
- Get a water butt to collect rainwater. This gives you a free supply of water to use in the garden during warmer periods.
- Report any leaks you spot so that they can be fixed quickly - visit www.eswcommunityportal.co.uk/leaks or call 0800 526 337.