Keeping the garden growing and the water flowing
'I use the water from my washing up bowl to water the plants.' Our customers tell us how they're saving water...
Keeping the garden growing and the water flowing - Our customers tell us how they're saving water
“I use the water from my washing up bowl to water my plants!” That’s just one of the ways our customers told us they were watering the garden, without using water directly from the tap. It’s helping us keep more water available for customers during the driest season of the year.
Customers on social media have been letting us know how they’re keeping their garden watered during the summer, and saving water at the same time. One customer told us they were managing to water the garden when needed using water that would otherwise have been wasted, they said: “I use a bucket to catch water when first turning on the shower while it warms up.” Another customer said they used the water collected in their condensed dryer, and there was also an idea to: “Fill your watering can from your paddling pool”.
These are all great ways to reduce the amount of water we use, and it’s a good thing because on average, we’re using about 178 litres per person per day – the equivalent to nine watering cans each! With hotter summers and less rainfall, the water in our rivers, aquifers and reservoirs gets topped up less often. At the same time, our growing population needs more water, so we all need to find ways to save water.
We’re doing our bit too. We’re working to increase storage capacity and fix leaks, which helps keep water in our network and taps flowing for our customers. We’re also caring for the environment, as we can top up rivers using water from our reservoirs, protecting the wildlife in these blue spaces.
When the weather is hot, the demand for water goes up. In the summer months, there are more people enjoying activities outside as well as lots of tourists in the area, so it’s important we’re all focussed on water saving. When we work together, small changes can make a lot of difference. Plus, it can help lower bills too - even cutting your showers by just one minute could save up to £75 a year off your energy bill.
How do you save? Let us know by tweeting us!
Here’s where you can find all of our top tips too.