Thames Water asks millions to stop using hosepipes to save water during heatwave
Millions of people in the UK have been asked to stop using their hoses as May’s record-breaking heatwave grips the south-east.
Thames Water has urged people in London and the South East to use watering cans rather than hoses or sprinklers to respond to a surge in demand for water after temperatures rose to 35.1C this week.
Demand for water has increased by up to 50 percent in some areas, the water company said.
“Weather conditions like these lead to rapid increases in water use, especially for outdoor activities like watering gardens, filling kiddie pools, and using hoses and sprinklers,” the company said in a statement, adding that it was “working hard to keep your water flowing during these extreme weather conditions.”
The company asked consumers to avoid watering gardens during the day and allow the grass to dry, advising that the lawn will recover quickly.
He encouraged people to reuse water where possible, for example using paddling pool water to water plants, and reusing water from paddling pools rather than refilling them.
Other tasks such as car washing should be postponed, otherwise a bucket should be used instead of a running hose.
Thames Water staff are also handling hundreds of leaks and said the risk of water leaks was increasing as hot, dry ground caused underground pipes to shift and crack.
“We are working hard to keep your water flowing during these challenging weather conditions. Our crews repair hundreds of leaks each week, monitor the network 24/7, and move water through the system to protect supplies.
“We’re asking you to help us keep the water flowing through your taps. Small steps can make a big impact,” Thames Water said.
South East Water also urged customers to only use water for essential purposes after 500 customers across Kent were left without water on Sunday.
Incident manager Steve Benton said: “Although our network has improved, potable water levels in our storage tanks remain low and we ask customers to only use water for essential purposes such as drinking, cooking and hygiene.”
He said drinking water storage tanks serving areas in Kent had reached critical levels. Among those without water, there were approximately 165 customers in Cranbrook and 111 in Mereworth.
On Friday, thousands of customers across the county faced supply issues due to “incredibly high demand during this heatwave.”
Temperatures this week have shattered records with Kew Gardens reaching 35.1°C on Monday; It exceeded the previous station record of 29.3°C and the previous UK May record of 32.8°C.
The Met Office said stations across counties including Oxfordshire, Surrey, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire all recorded new maximums in lows and mid-30s, with 163 stations breaking May maximum temperature records.
The heat will continue on Saturday and temperatures will rise above 30 degrees in some areas, including London.
