Over the last three months, our customers in these areas have helped save 11 million litres of water. The good news is that today, we’ve been able to lift the ban, but it’s important we all keep using water wisely.
Using water wisely is important in the winter too
With more periods of drought expected due to climate change, and an increasing population in the South East, we need to make sure that our precious natural resource – water – is protected. The hosepipe bans in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from August 5 to November 4 this year helped protect the Rivers Test and Itchen, but river and reservoir levels across our area are still not as high as they should be at this time of year. To protect our water sources over the winter, we all need to continue saving water.
Saving water – even when it’s raining
It takes time for our rivers and reservoirs to refill after dry weather. We’ve had an exceptionally dry summer, so although it may be raining outside it can still take several months of wet weather to replenish the water lost. Saving water was never so important and there are lots of ways to save water in your home.
We’re playing our part by reducing leakage
The less water we lose through leakage, the more there is for customers. That’s why we’re investing £140 million in reducing leakage. We have teams working 24/7 to find and fix leaks across our area. In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, we’ve already repaired over 5,000 leaks this year.
Planning for more periods of drought
It looks as though we may be having more droughts over the years to come, so we’re planning ahead. Our ‘Water for Life – Hampshire’ programme will revolutionise the way we source, treat and supply water in that area, ensuring a reliable water supply, even in times of severe drought. We’re also working with schools and agriculture to harvest rainwater using SuDs – sustainable drainage systems.