Northumbrian Water is encouraging its customers to use water wisely following a warm and extremely dry start to the year.
The Met Office announced this week that it has been the driest start to spring in 69 years across England and the driest March since 1961. April saw the UK receive just half of its normal rainfall, with even less seen here in the North East.
With warm weather forecast to continue at least over the next two weeks, and the Environment Agency confirming there is a medium risk of a drought this summer, the water company is reminding its customers to be more mindful of their water usage when it comes to things like paddling pools, hot tubs and watering their gardens, in a bid to help protect water resources and the environment.
A typical large paddling pool can use up to 3,200 litres of water, and a hot tub can use up to 1,500 litres – which is the equivalent of 882 standard-sized kettles. That's more than ten times most people’s average daily usage in one go – on top of what they would normally use.
Using a hosepipe for one hour can use 1,000 litres of water – which is the equivalent of one-and-a-quarter bathtubs. However, keeping a water butt in your garden can collect up to 200 litres of water in a more environmentally friendly way.
Kieran Ingram, Water Director at Northumbrian Water, said: “The sunshine and prolonged hot dry weather means we have seen an increase in demand for water recently.
“Although we're used to managing demand, we still need customers to play their part by using water wisely, so that we can continue to manage supplies and keep the water flowing.
“We will continually monitor our stocks of water this over the dry period, but when large numbers of people start using things like hot tubs or paddling pools it can pull heavily on our resources and sometimes this means the water in our network is being used faster than we can turn it from raw water into drinking water.
“If you do decide to use things like these, make sure you get the best out of them, for example, if you’re using a standard paddling pool this weekend without chlorine, you can re-use the water afterwards to water your plants or wash your car.
"Even small changes can make a big difference, so make sure you’re doing all you can to be mindful this summer.”
Simple things people can do to help save water:
- Shorter showers – For every minute less you spend in the shower, you save around 12 litres of water.
Use a watering can instead of a hose or sprinkler and water plants in the evening or first thing in the morning, as sun and wind can take away moisture.
- There’s no need to water your lawn – established lawns will soon recover once rainfall returns.
- Never leave your sprinkler on overnight. It is counter-productive, because when it's wet and dark, it will encourage snails and slugs to come out and they will eat your plants. A sprinkler left running use between 500 and 1,000 litres of water an hour. Instead, try using a watering can early in the morning before the sun is fully risen.
- Use the eco setting – using the eco setting on your washing machine can save around 30 litres of water per wash. That’s enough drinking water for one person for around 15 days. Do the same on your dishwasher too, for extra savings!
- Check the weather and schedule your car wash for a day after it rains. Washing your car on the grass helps put the excess water to good use and try using a bucket instead of a hose
- Dish the dirt – there’s no need to pre-rinse any plates, simply scrape and place in the dishwasher.
- If you’re out and about, please help us spot leaks. Warm weather can cause pipe damage. To save water in your area, report any leaks online you spot so that they can be fixed quickly or call 0800 393 084.
Northumbrian Water’s leakage is the lowest it’s ever been but the company are not being complacent. Leakage teams will be working finding and fixing leaks in the water network to help preserve as much water as possible as demand increases.
The public are asked to report leaks via the leakage portal: www.nwl.co.uk/report-a-problem
For more information on how to save water, go to www.nwl.co.uk/summer