Anglian Water urges customers to 'use water wisely' as demand soars in heatwave
A water company is warning of "record breaking" demand on its supply as the country swelters in the heatwave.
Anglian Water has already reported a 35% increase in the amount of water used by its customers and that is expected to grow this weekend.
On a normal day the company supplies roughly 1.1 billion litres of drinking water to 4.3 million customers across the East of England.
With temperatures predicted to reach 36 degrees next week, they are expecting to exceed a record-breaking 1.5 billion litres.
Anglian Water is urging its customers to "use water wisely" to help keep the taps flowing.
Ian Rule, from Anglian Water, said water supplies were currently in "relatively good health".
He added: "With reservoirs over 80% full and groundwater levels in a good position for the summer, there is enough water to go around but we still need customers to use water wisely to help us keep taps flowing."
"When the weather heats up, the demand for water significantly increases which puts added pressure on the water network.
"When everyone tries to draw on the water supply at the same time water pressure can dip, so customers may notice water can’t flow from their taps as freely as usual.
"We have an army of engineers working hard already to ensure everything is in the best shape possible before the hottest weather hits.”
The East of England is one of the driest regions in the country.
The heatwave is just one of the kinds of extreme weather challenges that are becoming more common as a result of global climate change.
Mr Rule added: “Water is a precious resource, and we see ourselves its custodians, responsible for balancing the needs of customers with those of the environment.
"However, everyone who cares about nature has a role to play in striking the right balance - we all need to work together and that includes relying on our customers to use water wisely while continuing to have fun in the sun.”
Anglian Water’s top ways to save water
Stay hydrated - leave a jug of tap water in the fridge to cool down rather than running the tap until it's cold.
If you’ve already filled the paddling pool for the day, don’t empty it! You can save loads on your water bill by using gentle disinfectant tablets that keep the paddling pool water fresh for days of use and fun with the kids. Or reuse the water to wash the dog, the car or water the flower beds.
Learn to love your brown lawn – leave the sprinkler in the shed this summer. Grass is extremely hard to kill. Your lawn will soon bounce back and be vibrant and green again.
Fix that dripping tap. Dripping taps are just money running down the drain. If your tap dripped every second, all day, it would waste around 17 litres in just 24hours! That’s over 6000 litres and around £30 a year.
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