Shropshire heatwave: Severn Trent asks customers to put hose pipes away to save water
A water company supplying Shropshire has asked its customers to "put the sprinklers and hose pipes away for a few days" as temperatures soar.
Severn Trent Water texted its customers with the message that hot weather is here and it is seeing large increases in water use across the region. The Met Office has warned that lives could be at risk because of the potentially record-breaking heatwave hitting the UK.
"Please put the sprinklers and hose pipes away for a few days so we can keep the water flowing for all," they texted. "Thanks, Severn Trent."
The company has published a video on YouTube showing a 17,000 litre tanker putting water into the drinking water system. They are using tankers to pump an extra 300 million litres of water into the network to keep water flowing during increased demand.
A spokesman said: "The current heatwave combined with a very dry spring means that reservoir levels are lower than we would like them to be at this time of year.
"It can take 12 hours to treat and pump water out to our customers, so when people are using more water to do things like water their gardens or fill paddling pools, the challenge can be to get that clean, treated water out to homes quick enough – this can sometimes cause low pressure problems."
The company says it has a Priority Services Register of customers who need a bit of extra help.
It has also published its top tips:
Keep hydrated
Have a shower rather than a bath to save water - Taking 30 seconds off your shower will save five litres!
Use a bucket and sponge rather than a hose to clean your car
Look for leaking loos and get them fixed
Turn off taps when not in use
When it’s time to empty the paddling pool use the water to water your plants
Water plants in the evening with a watering can – it’ll be more effective as less water will evaporate
Don’t worry about watering the grass – it'll soon bounce back when it rains!
