South East Water urges essential-only usage as temperatures soar
Heatwave leads to increased water demand across the region
As temperatures are set to surpass 35°C this week, South East Water is requesting customers to limit their water usage to essential purposes only amidst rising demand.
With the region experiencing another heatwave starting the week of 22nd June, consumption has significantly increased.
On Sunday 21st June, the company treated and distributed 644 million litres of water—exceeding June's daily average by 56 million litres.
This figure is anticipated to rise further with the ongoing heatwave.
Measures to Manage Demand
To address heightened water demand, South East Water is taking several measures, including:
Operating Water Treatment Works at full capacity 24/7
Maximising the number of teams fixing bursts and leaks to conserve water
Re-routing water within its network
Deploying tankers to inject additional water and fill storage tanks
Regulating network pressure
Despite ongoing efforts, continuous high demand can lead to supply issues at the network's extremities or elevated areas, where water may be used faster than it can be treated and replenished.
Customer Actions
Customers are urged to make simple adjustments to ensure consistent supply and avert further measures:
Cease hose usage, including for paddling pools and hot tubs
Restrict water use to hygiene, drinking, and cooking
Long-term Resilience
South East Water is actively working on enhancing network resilience to adapt to climate changes and frequent heatwaves.
While infrastructure projects are underway, they require time for completion.
The company's ambitious £2.1 billion five-year business plan focuses on boosting operational resilience while keeping customer bills reasonable.