Dry Conditions Continue to Impact the North West's Water Supplies
United Utilities commented...
We wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been supporting us by using less water around the home and garden and for spotting and reporting leaks.
We saw a significant increase in leaks being reported to us last week as the very dry ground conditions continue to cause problems for buried pipes. Leakage is at its lowest level but our teams are working hard to repair more than ever before and tackled and fixed 900 in the last week. Please do continue to report any leaks if you spot them when out and about by simply visiting the link below.
Please help save and reuse water
We have started to see some rain but water levels in the North West’s rivers, lakes, groundwaters and reservoirs are currently much lower than average for this time of year – you can check your reservoir levels here. It has been the driest Spring since the 1950s and we’ve continued to see the risk of wildfires across our region. Other sectors, like agriculture and growers, are struggling with the dry ground conditions.
During the warm weather, our teams have been cleaning and putting more water into supply to match the demand for it. At times, the extra water being used is equivalent to supplying a town the size of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, so every little counts if everyone can help to avoid wasting any water right now. We’re using our vast integrated network of pipes to move water around from one part of the region to another, to get it to where it is needed, and bringing in extra water from other sources.
Balancing the needs of people, the environment and our communities
Our water resources team and hydrologists are monitoring the situation daily, so we manage and carefully balance the water needs of people, the environment and our communities in the best possible way. Everyone can help as small steps will make a massive difference overall. As we see some rain in the forecast, it may be tempting to think saving water won’t be needed. However, with ground conditions as they are, we would ask everyone to continue to do all that we can, helping to manage the impact on their local environment and communities while also saving money on both water and energy if you are on a meter.
There are lots of ways to save
Around the home, just one minute less in the shower saves 12 litres and turning the tap off when brushing your teeth saves six litres.
A lot of us have enjoyed time outside and in the garden while the sun shines. The RHS has some useful tips for gardeners on how to manage lawns and borders during dry spells. Visit the link below for more water saving advice and information.
Thanks for your support in water saving. We’ll keep you updated.
Matt Hemmings
Chief Operating Officer