Severn Trent urges water savings after record demand

Severn Trent, the major water provider for the Midlands and Derbyshire, has issued an urgent appeal to its customers to reduce water use after demand reached a record high during the ongoing heatwave. The company reported that Saturday, July 11, saw the highest single day of water demand ever recorded across its region, surpassing previous peaks from the 2022 drought and the Covid pandemic.

The combination of extreme heat and prolonged dry weather has led to significantly higher than normal consumption, with demand remaining elevated for much longer each day. The typical evening peak, which usually ends by 9 p.m., is now stretching until 1 a.m. daily. In recent days, demand has reached nearly 2,400 million litres, an extra 400 million litres more than usual each day. This is equivalent to the water needed for two million people or roughly 700 million pints.

In response, Severn Trent is urging its 4.8 million household and business customers to adopt water-saving measures to help avoid the need for formal restrictions. A company spokesperson said small changes made by many people can have a huge impact. Customers are encouraged to use a watering can instead of a sprinkler, let...