Summer is finally here and not only that but we’ve had one of the hottest Junes in decades, with forecasters predicting the heatwave will stay well into July. Roads have been melting, railway tracks have been buckling and wildfires have been raging!
What does this mean for your water?
Water demand rises in hot weather. From the need to keep ourselves better hydrated, to filling up that paddling pool or watering the garden. Some of this is unavoidable (make sure you keep drinking to keep healthy!) and it can have an impact on your water bills. There are steps you can take to reduce your water use while the temperature is warmer.
If you live at Upper Rissington or Oaklands Hamlet, you’ll have a separate non-drinking water supply which is used for flushing toilets, vehicle washing and watering the garden. This is a great step towards helping the environment as using recycled water reduces the amount of water that needs to be abstracted from the environment and therefore reduces the demand for drinking water from the ‘traditional’ water supply system. However, you should still try to use water as efficiently as possible as it will benefit your wallet as well as the environment.
In the garden
- Water your plants in the morning when temperatures are cooler and less will be lost through evaporation.
- Check the weather forecast before watering – it could rain tomorrow.
- Recycle your water – use a water butt to capture rain or use leftover water from dish washing.
- Plant water efficient plants such as lavender, verbena, mimosa and palms.
In your home
- Turn off your tap while brushing your teeth. It could save you up to 18 litres a day.
- Take shorter showers. Every minute you save in the shower could save 10 litres of water.
- Fill your washing machine. One less wash a week could save you 7 litres a day.
- Fix any leaks. Leaking toilets, taps and showers can waste 200 litres a day.