Last week’s record-breaking heatwave resulted in a surge in water demand in the Swindon area.
Thames Water reported a 30 per cent rise in daily household usage across its region as temperatures soared above 30C.
Parts of the Thames Valley, including Swindon, were identified as areas of especially high demand.
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Andrew Tucker, water demand reduction manager at Thames Water, said: “We saw a significant rise in demand across our region last week, particularly for outdoor water use.
“Demand increased so sharply in some areas that people were using water faster than we could produce and move it through our network.
“We’d like to thank customers who played their part by reducing usage during this extreme weather, helping to keep supplies flowing while staying hydrated and safe.”
The spike in demand led Thames Water to urge customers in Swindon and surrounding areas to limit water use to essential needs.
From Wednesday to Friday, the Thames Valley and Home Counties used more than 750 million litres per day, with Swindon, Slough, Oxford, Aylesbury, and Wickham singled out as hotspots.
The company supplied an additional 316 million litres in this area, for the week 20-28 June compared to the same period last year.
Mr Tucker said: “All our water is drinking-quality and comes from local sources, so small changes, such as using a watering can, reusing water and delaying non-essential outdoor jobs, can reduce what we need to take from the environment.
“We are asking customers to avoid using hosepipes and sprinklers on lawns and gardens so that supplies can be maintained for everyone during periods of exceptionally high demand.”
Thames Water teams worked around the clock during the heatwave to fix leaks, monitor the network, and keep water flowing.
Dry ground increases the risk of pipe movement and leaks, adding further strain to the system.
The company is currently undertaking its largest infrastructure upgrade in 150 years.
This includes replacing old pipes and rolling out more smart meters to help customers spot leaks and manage their water use.
More than 1.3 million smart meters have been installed.
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With further hot weather expected, Thames Water continues to ask customers to use water wisely to ease pressure on the network.
Suggestions include reusing paddling pool water to water plants, delaying car washing, and avoiding daytime garden watering.
The company also reminds customers that lawns recover quickly without regular watering and that small changes can make a difference for the whole community.
