South West Water urges action to conserve supplies amid dry weather
Collaborative efforts can help prevent shortages
South West Water is urging people to alter their daily routines amid ongoing hot and dry weather, which has heightened the demand for water supplies.
The company emphasises that small changes in individual routines can collectively contribute to a significant reduction in water use, safeguarding essential supplies during these challenging conditions.
The importance of saving water is underscored by the Met Office, which has provisionally confirmed that England and Wales experienced their driest July on record, with southern England seeing its driest month since records began in 1836.
With these dry conditions expected to continue, South West Water is appealing to households, businesses, and visitors to help maintain water supplies and protect the local environment.
Suggested Adjustments to Daily Routines
South West Water offers several simple strategies to curb water usage:
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth with a two-minute timer.
- Running the tap while brushing wastes about 20 litres of water per session, which accumulates to nearly 15,000 litres per year if done twice daily.
- Limit shower time to four minutes using South West Water’s timed shower karaoke playlist.
- Each minute reduced saves around 12 litres of water.
- Water plants in early morning or evening using a watering can to avoid midday evaporation.
- Consider repurposing unsalted cooking water or old water from pet bowls for this purpose.
- Store cold water in the fridge to reduce tap use for cooling purposes.
- Collected cold water can be repurposed for plant care.
- Run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads only. Older models may use significantly more than the average 40 litres per cycle.
- Check and fix leaking toilets and taps promptly. A small toilet leak can waste up to 400 litres daily.
Encouraging Community Effort
Megan Williams, Water Efficiency Manager at South West Water, highlighted the company's efforts in protecting water supplies, including increased water production, enhanced leak detection, and strategic water redistribution.
“It’s crucial for everyone to help safeguard the region’s water supplies by adopting simple, water-saving practices in their daily lives,” Williams said.
She added, “Changes in weather patterns due to climate change are making resource management unpredictable, so it's vital for everyone to be more water-aware and resilient.”