Save Water Call - And Let Lawns Go Brown - To Maintain Normal Public Supply

“We believe that a large part of the additional water use is within gardens so we would ask that customers are mindful of how much water they use in outdoor spaces such as lawns.”

Kes Juskoviak
Scottish Water’s General Manager of Customer Water Services

We are repeating our call for customers to use water as efficiently as possible in homes and gardens and help us protect resources and maintain normal supplies across the country.

With the dry, warm weather continuing, we are working to ensure our supply systems can cope with demand, which has increased during the recent dry weather, and are 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 or sprinklers and letting the grass go brown
• taking shorter showers
• turning the tap off when brushing teeth
• using washing machines and dishwashers only when fully loaded
• and using a bucket and sponge rather than a hose to wash the car.

The public water supply is resilient, and we are continuously monitoring the levels of storage throughout the country to maintain supplies, but there has been an increase in water use by customers with domestic demand up by 20%.

As a result, the amount of water we put into the network has had to be increased by 150 million litres per day in the past two weeks. That’s the equivalent of 75 Olympic-sized swimming pools or 1.8 million baths each day.

Average reservoir levels across Scotland are down 3% from last week to 77%. The average for this time of year is 87% and this time last year levels were at 87%.

We are working to ensure we can maintain public water supply to customers in parts of the country affected by increased peak water use and is using tankers to supplement normal water supplies in some parts of the country, mainly rural locations such as Kippen and Killin in west Stirlingshire and in parts of Skye.

Kes Juskowiak, Scottish Water’s General Manager of Customer Water Services, said: “The dry weather has seen an increase in customer use and an additional 150 million litres of water consistently having to be distributed per day into our network.

“We’re working hard to maintain normal supplies for all but would again ask that customers consider how they use water and to protect this precious resource.

“We believe that a large part of the additional water use is within gardens so we would ask that customers are mindful of how much water they use in outdoor spaces such as lawns.

“One tip would be for customers to let their garden lawns go brown during the dry weather because its appearance will be temporary and it will recover, but not watering lawns will help save significant amounts of water.”

He added: “Water is always worth saving, so we would ask everyone to do all they can in and around the home and garden to help us keep water flowing normally to their taps. By taking simple steps to reduce the volume used around the home and garden, we can make our country’s water go even further.”

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

Scottish Water has this week launched its 'Water is always worth saving' integrated communications campaign. The creative campaign encourages people to be aware of the water they use, understand that water is precious and worth saving all year round and make small adjustments to lifestyles to reduce any needless consumption of water. 
 
Multi-channel, the campaign is across digital, social media, Press, radio and television. 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 and always.