Customers Save 60 Million Litres of Water a Day, But More Help is Needed

“Gardeners can have a particularly big impact by switching off sprinklers and using watering cans instead, but we can all play our part through simple steps”

Kes Juskowiak
Director, Scottish Water

New Scottish Water data indicates that people are increasingly using water more efficiently and helping to protect supplies during the driest start to the year in more than 60 years.

The utility estimates that demand for water has reduced by about 60 million litres per day – enough to supply about half of Fife with water for a day – from its peak of more than 2000 million litres per day last week.

The significant decrease, which will help the utility to protect resources and maintain normal supplies across the country, is due to people heeding the company’s call to use water as efficiently as possible by switching off sprinklers, using watering cans in the garden instead of hoses and taking shorter showers.

However, although there have been some short and light isolated showers in places, the generally dry weather is forecast to last for most of this week and Scottish Water is calling on customers to continue to support the company by using water efficiently.

Even if there is more prolonged rainfall later this week and into next, it would be unlikely to make any significant difference to water levels in reservoirs, which have fallen from an average of 81% last week to 77% now – 13% below the average of 90% for this time of year and 16% below levels of 93% this time last year. 

This follows the driest start to the year across Scotland since 1964.

Kes Juskowiak, a Scottish Water Director, said: “We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped reduce water demand by using what is a precious resources as efficiently as possible, but we need customers to continue their support and to take whatever measures they can to do so.

“The system remains under significant pressure and so we we’d like to encourage everyone to continue to use Scotland’s water as efficiently as possible.

“Gardeners can have a particularly big impact by switching off sprinklers and using watering cans instead.

“But we can all play our part through simple steps like shorter showers and turning the tap off when we brush our teeth. It all adds up.”

The company is urging people to help save water by:

• using water efficiently in the garden and outdoor spaces by using a watering can instead of a garden hose where possible and avoiding using sprinklers 
• taking shorter showers
• turning the tap off when brushing teeth
• using washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded
• using a bucket and sponge rather than a hose to wash the car

We are individually using an average of 178 litres of water per person per day in Scotland, which is higher than in England and Wales where people use an average of 137 litres per person per day.

Scottish Water is working to ensure it can maintain public water supply to customers in parts of the country affected by increased peak water use and is continuing to use  tankers to supplement normal water supplies in some parts of the country.

Scottish Water, which is publicly owned, has identified more extreme weather like droughts and flooding as one of the biggest challenges facing the country’s environment in future years. It is currently investing more than £1billion per year on water infrastructure.

Customers can also save money while using water more efficiently. If a household of four takes just two minutes off their showers they can save 5,000 litres of water a year and cut about £100 off their energy bill.

Just by putting a full load in your washing machine washing at 30 degrees rather than 40 degrees can save on water and on energy consumption by 57%.

Scottish Water posts facts, tips and activities on social media to raise awareness about why we need to save water and more information on saving water is available at www.yourwateryourlife.co.uk/save

You can calculate how much water your household uses here: How Much Water Do You Use? - Scottish Water

Scottish Water will launch its 'Water is always worth saving' integrated communications campaign at the start of June. The creative campaign will remind the public that we all have a joint responsibility to look after Scotland’s most precious resource. And encourage people to be conscious of their water use, reducing usage and waste where possible. The campaign will provide quick and easy advice on how customers can save water.
 
Multi-channel, the campaign will be across social media, press, radio, television and select outdoor sites. Scottish Water works with other organisations with an interest in this area and our Summer Community Engagement events programme will have a significant focus on being water-smart this summer.