Severn Trent appeals to everyone to help with saving water as it sees highest demand for water in history across the Midlands in the driest May for a century.
New figures for the Severn Trent have shown some areas in the Midlands received just 1mm of rain in May.
On average, the central and southern parts of the Midlands received just 5-10% of their normal May rainfall. There are also some areas where there was rain on just one day in the entire month.
That’s led to loads of people using sprinklers to keep their lawns green and plants blooming, with the higher than average temperatures also seeing people using pressure washers to clean their cars, and getting the paddling pools out to keep their kids happy.
Add in to that the fact that loads of people are at home due to the COVID outbreak and the extended period of hot weather, has led to the highest ever demand for treated water seen in Severn Trent’s history.
While the company’s reservoirs remain 85% full of raw water, the challenge is treating and pumping it out fast enough to meet demand.
On average, people are using 20% more water than normal, compared to a normal May, and some areas are using as much as 40% more. That means some areas, scattered across the Midlands, are seeing poor pressure and even loss of supply in evenings as the pipes can’t carry water fast enough to meet the unprecedented demand.
Bit more water wise
To make sure water supplies are secure for friends, neighbours and the most vulnerable people in the communities, Severn Trent is appealing to people to take a few simple steps to be a bit more water wise when they’re using treated water from the tap.
Supplies would be ‘better saved for washing, drinking and cooking, especially at the moment’ said a spokesperson for Seven Trent.
Liv Garfield, CEO at Severn Trent, said: “We know everyone’s enjoying the sunny weather, but we’re appealing for them to cut back on non-essential use, especially outside, where they can over the next week. That’ll really help us keep up and make sure everyone gets the water they need for handwashing, cooking and drinking.”
Some of the things that use the most water are:
- A hose/sprinkler uses around 1,000 litres an hour
- A paddling pool holds 400 litres, which is roughly the same as three people’s average daily usage
- Jet washers use 36 litres a minute
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and then it rained.