- Demand for water expected to surge due to hot weather
- Affinity Water engineers will need to pump an extra 250 million litres of water a day to meet demand
- Over 220,000 people sign up to UKs largest water saving campaign – Save Our Streams
Local water supplier, Affinity Water is urging customers to be mindful of their water use as the hot weather hits from Friday 8 July and is likely to stay over the next week.
In 2020, hot weather caused record demand for water unlike anything seen in the water companies 170 year history and engineers needed to pump an extra 108million litres of water every day to meet this demand. This was the equivalent of supplying an extra 400,000 customers each day or a city the size of Bristol.
Over the next week, demand is predicted to surpass the 2020 record, so Affinity Water is urging customers to use water only for what they need.
Head of Communications, Kevin Barton said: “Most of us are happy when summer arrives, but we also don’t realise it’s the most dangerous time for our local rivers and streams. High temperatures mean people using more water at exactly the time when supply is at its lowest.
“Most of the water we use comes from local groundwater sources that feed into globally rare chalk streams and we need to leave more water in our local environment.
“That’s why we’re asking customers for help to join over 220,000 customers who have signed up to Save Our Streams. We’re not saying you can’t have fun, and we’re definitely not saying that you shouldn’t be using water. But we are asking you to be mindful of your water use, and make sure you’re not wasting water.”
There are a few things that customers can do that would have a massive impact:
- Avoid using sprinklers, hosepipes and irrigation systems. This could save an incredible 1,000 litres an hour.
- Avoid the use of large inflatable pools – these can hold up to 5,000 litres of water and is the same amount that a family of four would use over one week.
- Only use the dishwasher and washing machine when they’re full. One full load uses significantly less water than two half-full loads.
- Turning off the tap when you brush your teeth can save around six litres a minute.
Small actions can make a big difference. There are also other easy ways to reduce your water wastage, including clever gadgets that you won’t even notice. Join over 220,000 other people who have already signed up to saveourstreams.co.uk to give you the tools you need to waste less water, book a free water-saving consultation and claim your own free water-saving gadgets.