LAST month’s hot weather has seen demand for water increase, and residents are being reminded to use water wisely in the light of another hot spell being forecast.
On Sunday, June 13 – one of the hottest days of the year so far – South East Water said that it extracted, treated and pumped 666 million litres of water to 2.2 million customers – 100 million litres more than in an average June.
The company, which supplies Wokingham borough residents, said that while there is enough water in its reservoirs and underground aquifers, it had to push extra water through the treatment process to meet demand.
Douglas Whitfield, South East Water’s operations director, said: “When the temperature increases people use more water, it’s something we expect and plan for.
“As we’re still not commuting or travelling as normal, coupled with the recent hot weather, demand in our supply area is higher than we normally see.
“If a lot of people make a few simple changes it can add up to a big difference. An easy one is to cover paddling pools when not in use then re-using the water when emptying and not watering lawns when rain is on the way.”
He added: “Since the high demands experienced during the heatwave last year we have worked hard to make changes to improve the network, but with everyone at home this summer we are asking for everyone to help save water where they can”.
For water saving tips, log on to: www.southeastwater.co.uk/savewaterinthesun
