'Please use less water' plea as reservoirs are running dry

Residents are being asked to use less water following a big increase for its demand as more people have been at home due to lockdown.
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Last month was the driest May on record in England and the sunniest start to the Spring since records began in 1929. However, the hot dry weather combined with the increased demand for water due to Covid-19 means that our reservoirs are now much lower than we’d like for this time of year.

A spokesman for local water company United Utilities said: "Although we’ve had some heavy downpours over the last week, which have been sudden and resulted in flash flooding in some parts of the North West, we’ve not had enough rain to make much of a difference as we’re still using water quicker than the reservoirs can fill up.

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"To meet the extra demand we have put an additional seven billion litres of water into the network of pipes so far to ensure taps keep flowing.

Reservoirs are running dryReservoirs are running dry
Reservoirs are running dry

"The longer-term outlook also suggests average rainfall with warmer temperatures and with many more of us likely to stay at home for holidays this year, we’re now asking for your help to save water where you can so we have enough to see us through the summer.

"This is where we need your help. Making simple changes to how you use water in the home and garden can make a big difference to our reservoir levels and help to keep the water flowing this summer:

Turning off the tap every time you brush your teeth saves around six litres a minute.

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Spend just a minute less in the shower or have a shower instead of a bath, which can also save up to 50 litres every time.

Avoid using sprinklers and hosepipes which can save an incredible 1,000 litres an hour!

Only use the dishwasher when its full – we are all at home creating more dishes so turning the dishwasher on only when its full can make a huge difference.

The spokesman added: "Our reservoir levels across the North West are getting to the point when we may need to take additional steps to protect our remaining water supplies. We know every drop counts so we’ve got extra teams spotting and repairing leaks across the region too.

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"We’re grateful for your continued support in reporting leaks and are doing everything we can to avoid having to introduce any water restrictions. If we can all do our bit, small actions can make a huge difference and we can make sure there is enough for all our communities to enjoy this summer while we all also fight the virus.

"If you’re home-schooling, we have some great resources for children to find out about the water cycle. There is also lots of support for customers who may be struggling financially as well as a free Priority Service scheme to provide additional support for customers due to age, disability or illness.

"Following the Government advice on hand-washing to help stop the spread of Covid-19 is important to us all so finding other ways to save water where we can around the home or outdoors will mean we can keep the water flowing and the toilets flushing this summer for everyone in the North West."

For more information visit http://www.unitedutilities.com/savewater