Northumbrian Water appeal to customers as temperatures continue to soar

Northumbrian Water is urging customers to conserve supplies as the North East’s heatwave continues.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The firm says it is seeing ‘unprecedented levels of water usage’ across the region.

Water demand is calculated per person per household, and variables such as weather are carefully measured and planned for – but soaring temperatures coupled with extra demand from the impact of staycations and people continuing to work from home means the amount of water being used across the North East is 25% higher than anticipated across the region.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Additional teams are on the ground to find and fix leaks, and tankers are being used to help balance demand.

Northumbria Water is appealing to customers to conserve suppliesNorthumbria Water is appealing to customers to conserve supplies
Northumbria Water is appealing to customers to conserve supplies

And although the company says it does not yet need to impose temporary usage bans, it is asking for customer support with storage continuing to drop.

Head of Water Service Planning Martin Lunn said: “We plan and prepare for high water demand situations and thanks to improvements and investments in our network then we’re able to move water around to ensure people remain in supply.

“However, what we’re seeing right now is incredibly high demand. We have maximised our leak and burst repairs with 120 skilled employees working safely to find and fix leaks, taking a prioritised approach for the major issues. We also have four tankers rolling to bring in millions of litres of water from other supply areas.

Read More
Summer holidays spark cold water warning from police team who patrol the North E...
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But we really need our customers to help us to reduce the demand. Being mindful when using a sprinkler or washing the car can have a massive impact and help us to reduce the demand across the region.”

Anglian Water, which supplies Hartlepool, has not seen any demand issues during the recent hot weather.

Tips include:

*Turn the sprinklers off – grass can survive for four to six weeks without being watered;

*Use a watering can for watering veg instead of a hose;

*Cover your pool/padding pool once finished for the day to keep debris free and able for reuse over a few days. Even a bin bag will do the trick;

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

*Ditch the doggy paddling pools – try putting a towel in the freezer to keep your pet cool instead;

*Avoid using the hose to wash your car – either leave it or use a bucket and sponge if necessary.

For more water-saving tips, go to – www.nwl.co.uk/summer.

Enjoy our headlines with fewer distractions and sign up to a digital subscription today - fewer ads, faster load times and all of the stories you need. Your support for our journalism means we can continue supporting our communities for generations to come. Click ‘Subscribe’ in the menu to find out more and sign up.