South West Water has urged Brits to use water wisely as a record-breaking heatwave grips the nation, despite reservoirs sitting at 90% capacity
This kid is as cool as a cucumber in her full – not half full – paddling pool(Image: Oscar Wong via Getty Images)
A water company has faced fierce criticism for urging Britons to reduce their water consumption during a record-breaking heatwave, despite reservoirs sitting at 90 per cent capacity.
South West Water has advised parents to be cautious when filling children’s paddling pools as temperatures continue to soar this summer.
The company serves Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall – four counties that endured months of relentless heavy rainfall earlier this year. Cornwall experienced its wettest winter since 1836, while parts of Somerset became so severely waterlogged that a major incident was declared due to extensive flooding.
Yet, as Britain bakes in a record-breaking 35C May heatwave, parents have been encouraged to take a restrained approach to providing their children with a splash of relief from the heat, reports the Mirror.
As temperatures reached unprecedented highs, resident of nearby Cornwall Liz Northcott, 74, told the Sun: “My great-grandchildren are in the paddling pool, and there will be no half measures.”
“They don’t have a shortage, so why tell us to use less water?”
Water bosses were recently handed a £24 million fine in March following a series of disgraceful sewage spills, prompting widespread questioning as to why company executives are requesting Britons to cut back during a historically unprecedented UK heatwave, when leaking pipes and contaminated water supplies appear to be far more pressing concerns.
South West Water has stood by its guidance, stating that it urges customers to “use water wisely” throughout the year, irrespective of weather conditions. Unexpected surges during hot spells place considerable pressure on the entire infrastructure, according to industry leaders, even when reservoir storage levels remain adequate.
The pressure on Britain’s water system has, admittedly, already created disruption in other regions. Across the south-east, particularly in Kent and Sussex, households experienced reduced pressure and complete supply failures in recent days as consumption soared by almost 100 million litres beyond typical levels.
South East Water announced on Tuesday: “Yesterday (Monday, May 25), 670 million litres of drinking water was used across our supply area, which is almost 100 million litres more than the average for this time of the year.
“As expected, demand for drinking water has surged as a result and this has led to our storage reservoirs running low in several parts of Kent. “Our fleet of tankers has been working 24/7 putting additional water into the network in areas where demand has been extremely high over recent days.
“However, due to the nature of water supply networks, some customers on higher ground or at the far end of the network may have low pressure or supply interruptions, especially at peak use times.
As these outages are a result of increased demand following the hot weather, supplies will continue to be intermittent for some customers until temperatures decrease and demand reduces.”
Consequently, many families are heading to Britain’s beaches and parks to seek relief from the heat during the half-term holiday. Sales of fans, ice, and sunscreen have soared on the high street, as households desperately attempt to stay cool and protect themselves from the sun.
