South East Water appealed to its customers on 11 July 2022 to limit how much tap water they use, saying hot temperatures had pushed demand beyond levels expected for the time of year1. The company said record amounts of water being drawn at the same time were putting extra pressure on its network and, in some cases, causing water pressures to drop, so water could not flow from taps as quickly as customers wanted1.
The company said the amount of water available in reservoirs and groundwater stores in the South East was currently good, but that household water usage had risen dramatically in the past couple of years, with demand going up in hot weather by 50 per cent1. It said it had been producing an extra 120 million litres of drinking water every day for its 2.4 million customers1. Hot weather was forecast to stay across the region for at least the next week, with temperatures reaching 30 degrees1.
Lee Dance, Head of Water Resources at South East Water, said:
"We have been producing an extra 120 million litres of drinking water every day - the equivalent of 20 million flushes of the toilet, for our 2.4 million customers to use but if everyone uses a lot of water at once, demand can outweigh the amount of water we are able to treat."
The company said it has a dedicated leakage team monitoring and repairing leaks around the clock on its 9,000 miles of water mains, and that around £20 million had been spent in the past 12 months on fixing and detecting leaks in its supply area1. It also pointed to a predicted risk of water shortages by 2050 because of hotter, drier summers caused by climate change and an increasing population1.
Among the measures the company suggested were letting lawns go brown, reusing paddling pool water on plants, using watering cans instead of garden hoses, turning off taps while brushing teeth, taking shorter four minute showers, running dishwashers only when full and washing the car less often1. It said a standard paddling pool can use up to 400 litres of water, enough to fill four full water butts, and suggested reusing the water on the garden rather than letting it go down the drain1.
Why it matters for households
The appeal applied to households across South East Water's supply area, with hot weather forecast to continue for at least a week and temperatures reaching 30 degrees1. The effect described was lower water pressure at the tap rather than a loss of supply: the company said water availability in reservoirs and groundwater stores was currently good1. Its guidance centred on reducing simultaneous demand, particularly outdoor use such as paddling pools, sprinklers and hosepipes, and on running taps and appliances only when needed1. The company said it had tried and tested plans in place for managing high demand1.
Households experiencing poor flow at the tap can find guidance in What to Do About Low Pressure, and general advice on reducing use is set out in How to Save Water at Home When Supplies Are Low. The wider context of the hot, dry period is covered in Heatwaves and Drought: A Household Guide, with further material in the water hub and the heatwaves and drought hub. Related guidance includes How Much Water to Drink in Hot Weather, How to Keep Cool During a Power Cut in Hot Weather and Staying Cool in Pregnancy During Hot Weather.
What happens next
The company said hot weather was forecast to stay across the region for at least the next week1. No end date for the appeal, and no restrictions on water use such as a hosepipe ban, have been reported1.
Sources (1)
- Appeal for water customers to be mindful when turning on the tap | South East Water, southeastwater.co.uk
Low Water Pressure
Saving Water at Home
