Wessex Water urges households to cut use as hosepipe ban looms

Households in Bath and across the wider Wessex Water region are being urged to reduce non-essential water use as the company warns restrictions could be introduced if demand remains high.

Photo © Wessex Water

Water resources are currently described as stable, with surface water reservoirs at 58% capacity at the end of July.

However, months of exceptionally dry weather and heatwaves, combined with forecasts for another six weeks of hot and dry conditions, have led Wessex Water to ask customers to make further savings.

The company supplies Bath and most of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire and has not needed to introduce water restrictions in the region for 50 years.

It said a hosepipe ban would remain a last resort but could be required to protect supplies for households, businesses and the environment if current demand does not fall.

Water use across the region has exceeded 400 million litres a day for 35 consecutive days – more than 30% above the average for this time of year.

Wessex Water said the additional demand is equivalent to almost 4,000 hosepipes being left running continuously each day.

One of the main challenges during the summer has been moving enough water through the network to meet demand, while underground service reservoirs have also been placed under greater pressure.

Photo © Wessex Water

The company said customers can help by allowing lawns to turn brown, using watering cans rather than hoses or sprinklers, reusing water from washing up and paddling pools, shortening showers and avoiding unnecessary car washing.

Using a watering can instead of a hose or sprinkler could save as much as 1,000 litres an hour, according to Wessex Water.

Will Willoughby, director of water supply, said: “We know that a hosepipe ban would not be welcome news for our customers, especially during the summer holidays. A ban is a last resort for us, and we don’t want to introduce one, but we do need customers to help.

“If all customers can make small changes to their daily water use habits, this will make a big impact and help keep water flowing for each other, businesses and the environment.”

He said teams had also been working throughout the summer to find and repair leaks, prioritising those wasting the largest amounts of water.

Wessex Water is contacting larger business customers with high levels of consumption to encourage them to reduce non-essential use.

Mr Willoughby added: “If demand doesn’t reduce, we will need to introduce more formal restrictions to protect water supplies, which is why we’re asking customers to work with us now to help avoid this.”