Severn Trent produces extra 400m litres a day to keep Midlands hydrated during heatwave
Severn Trent has produced an extra 400 million litres of water a day since Tuesday to help keep the Midlands hydrated during the heatwave.
Temperatures are forecast to hit near 40°C today (Thursday 25), the company says it is producing around 20% more water than usual, enough extra to supply almost than 3 million people
As people are up later enjoying the World Cup matches, the company is noticing more water is being used late into the evening as people prepare for bed, water the plants and do more tasks at home when the weather is cooler.
Despite rain forecasted for the weekend, with schools off and more people at home reaching for the paddling pools, the company is advising people to cover any paddling pools instead of refilling and then using the water on the plants and flowers when finished.
It also says grass and gardens are resilient, so will bounce back quickly when the wetter weather returns.
Doug Clarke, Water Resources Lead at Severn Trent, said: “This is the type of weather my teams plan for all year round, and we’re producing record amounts of water to help keep the Midlands hydrated during the heat.
“With schools closing and families using paddling pools to stay cool, covering the pool and using a bucket to rinse feet instead of a tap are simple ways to make the most of the water. When you’re finished, it can easily go on flowers to.”
Severn Trent has teams ready to respond quickly to any network issues, supported by a fleet of nearly 100 tankers if needed. They have said reservoirs are currently just under 90% full, with water taking around 12 hours to treat and supply to customers’ homes for them to enjoy it.
Doug added: “Naturally, in this heat a lot of water is being used very quickly, and we are working hard to meet that demand and so our customers can keep safely hydrated and cool in the heat. Water is so precious, and heatwaves like this highlight it’s importance of making sure people have what they need to keep cool, and hydrated.”
