Just months after the Isle of Wight experienced one of its wettest starts to the year on record, Southern Water is urging customers to save water amid the prospect of a hosepipe ban if the current spell of hot, dry weather continues.
The water company has emailed customers across the Isle of Wight warning that while there are currently no water restrictions in place, these may be introduced if dry conditions persist.
Southern Water says the Rivers Test and Itchen, which provide much of the water used by homes and businesses across the region, are now under increasing pressure after recovering well over winter from record rainfall.
According to the company, England’s warmest spring on record, followed by 2 early summer heatwaves, has caused water levels to fall rapidly. River flows dropped from 961 million litres a day to 601 million litres a day during June alone.
It means water levels supplying the Isle of Wight are now lower than they should be for this time of year and below the long-term average recorded over the past 30 years. With more warm weather forecast, Southern Water says river levels are expected to continue falling until the Autumn.
The warning comes just 3 months after the Isle of Wight endured one of its wettest starts to the year on record, with the equivalent of around 6 months’ rainfall falling during January and February. Groundwater levels reached record highs, leading Southern Water to deploy more than 130 tankers to help reduce pressure on the sewer network and prevent flooding.
Residents are now being encouraged to make simple changes to reduce water use, including swapping hoses for watering cans, taking 4-minute showers and turning off the tap while brushing their teeth.
Southern Water says it has repaired 662 leaks on the Isle of Wight so far this year, saving around 5million litres of water every day. The company says it is also moving water to where it is needed most to reduce abstraction from rivers, while investing in long-term projects such as new reservoirs to improve future water supplies.
Although no restrictions have been announced, Southern Water says customers’ support in reducing water use now could help protect local water sources and avoid the need for further measures later in the Summer.
