‘We must act now to protect water supplies’ urges NI Water

NI Water is issuing a direct appeal to the public to act now to protect water supplies, following confirmation from the Met Office that this spring was the second driest since the beginning of the twentieth century.

Since the beginning of lockdown and the Covid-19 crisis, the company has seen a significant rise in the amount of water used in the home.

This rise, coupled with the dry weather, has contributed to a natural drop in water levels in reservoirs.

Increased household use has not been offset by the closure of businesses, as many high water users, such as the agri-food sector, factories etc. have been able to stay operational during this time.

Addressing the issue NI Water Chief Executive Sara Venning explained; “This recent dry spell, which has been breaking records, coupled with more people at home using more water, has resulted in a significant drop in our water levels.

“The recent rain we have experienced is not enough to bring the levels back up. We would need a period of reasonably wet weather before we would see a significant change in the levels of most of our reservoirs.

“There are a number of steps NI Water can take to alleviate the stress on reservoirs including a hosepipe ban. However, the key to conserving water is public action now.

“How we all use our water now will have a massive impact on our water levels during the summer months and whether a hosepipe ban will be required.

“For example, we know from the increase in our night usage some customers are leaving sprinklers and hoses on overnight; we are appealing to them to stop. A sprinkler left on overnight is enough to meet the daily water needs of 13 families.

“We are also asking people to think before they use their pressure washer. Could the task be put off until we are out of this dry period?

“However, the easiest way for everyone to save a little water and make a big difference is through normal household tasks.

“If each of us turned off the tap when brushing our teeth, in a month we would save enough water for the daily handwashing of 67 people.

“Similarly, if you put a jug of water into the fridge rather than running the tap, those actions alone would save approximately 18 litres per day.

“This is enough to keep 9 people hydrated for a whole day!

“We want everyone to enjoy their home and garden, we just need people to think about how they use their water and if what they are doing is essential.

“If it is not essential we would really appeal to people not do it at the moment.”

For all NI Water saving tips please go to https://www.niwater.com/loweryourlitres. There are so many simple ways to reduce our water usage.

NI Water is also encouraging customers to sign up to its free text alert service which keeps them updated about anything that may impact on their water supply or any of our other services in the area.

To sign up simply go to https://www.niwater.com/register-for-keeping-you-informed/

* NI Water has recently published a Water Resource and Supply Resilience Plan. The new Plan, to 2045, is further evidence of the importance of adequate funding.

NI Water has identified an investment need in water and wastewater services of over £2bn for the six years from 2021 to 2027.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you