South Staffs Water is committed to promoting the efficient use of water in the home. Taking care not to waste water has benefits in addition to saving money on your bill if you are metered. It helps secure the water supply both for ourselves and for future generations, as well as protecting the natural environment from over-abstraction. Statistics show that today we are all using an increasing amount of water.
Statistics show that we are gradually using more and more water. In fact, over the last 30 years our water consumption has increased by about 70%. Nowadays every one of us uses on average about 1000 litres of water per week, equivalent to about 1760 pints of milk!
Water is very important!
Can you remember when South Staffs Water last imposed a hosepipe ban?
To date the Company has managed its water supply so successfully that our customers have not been asked to restrict their use of water since 1976. We are proud of this record, and with your help we do not intend to impose any restrictions on the use of water in the future, although we do accept that restrictions on non-essential use may be required in genuinely exceptional circumstances.
However, since 1976 average daily demand in a dry year has risen by 15%. Clearly if this trend continues, despite our best efforts our supply will not meet demand and both ourselves and other water companies will have to develop costly new sources of water, which would undoubtedly result in increased water bills. It may also have an unacceptable impact on our environment.
Building more reservoirs is not necessarily the right solution to this problem. Whilst new reservoirs would provide more water to help meet the increasing demand, they may adversely impact on the environment in which they are built. Also they take a long time to plan and build, and are very expensive. A better solution is to take an approach which involves carefully managing our existing supplies whilst at the same time encouraging our customers to use water more wisely. This is where you can help..
Our challenge is to provide all the wholesome water we need to be healthy, whilst minimising any adverse impact on the environment, at a cost which is both fair and affordable for our customers.
The good news is that there are many simple things you can do both at home and at work to reduce your consumption of water and, as well as helping to secure our water supply both for ourselves and for future generations, you also benefit in many other ways.
Why save water?
Remember that any water that comes straight from the tap and goes down the drain, without first having been usefully utilised, qualifies as wasted water.
Quite simply, we are consuming more and more water and in many cases much of this is unnecessarily wasted. Our demand for water is increasing, particularly during the summer or dry periods.
By cutting down your water use you can:
- Save money, whether or not you are on a water meter
- Reduce the possibility of water shortages and hosepipe restrictions
- Reduce the amount of energy and chemicals used in the treatment and pumping of water
- Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, which are responsible for global warming
- Reduce impact on wildlife habitats in wetlands and rivers
Save money, whether or not you are on a water meter
You can save money whether you're metered or not. Metering is the fairest way for you to only pay for what you use, by reducing waste you save on both your clean water and foul water charges.
If you're not metered, reducing the amount of water that is wasted helps us reduce how much water we treat and so helps us keep our charges to a minimum, giving you the opportunity to benefit in the long term.
To reduce the possibility of water shortages and restrictions on hosepipe use
We now use double the amount of water we did in the 1950s, and it is estimated that in 20 years time, if we don’t reduce our demand for water, we will require more water than ever.
Using less water in our home means that our water sources replenish more quickly. This gives the rivers, reservoirs and the overall water level underground time to refill during our wetter winter months, ready for the annual increase in demand during the summer and this can help reduce the possibility of restrictions on hosepipe use.
If you reduce water consumption your water company doesn’t need to use so much electricity and you help to reduce the impact of global warming. Every little helps.
Reduce the amount of energy and chemicals used in the treatment and pumping of water
Reducing waste in your home or business means that we reduce the amount of water that has to be treated or that uses energy unnecessarily. Water that goes straight down the drain without being properly used is considered a waste and is costly to you, the environment and the Company.
Reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, which are responsible for global warming
Taking water from rivers and groundwater sources, treating it and pumping it around the network uses huge amounts of energy. So the less water you use, the less energy is needed, and the less energy is used, the less greenhouse gases are produced.
Carbon Dioxide
Currently almost three-quarters of all the electricity we generate in the UK is produced by the burning of gas, oil and coal to run power stations. This produces huge quantities of carbon dioxide, which, as we now know, is the main gas responsible for global warming
Reduce your impact on wildlife habitats in wetlands and rivers
Reducing our demand for water helps to maintain flow rates in rivers and waterways and keeps our wetlands wet. This is great news for both aquatic plants and wildlife and helps to maintain reservoir levels.
To visit a wetland, see the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust website: The trust website to find a wetland near you.
DID YOU KNOW? : A recent survey of wetlands found that over 70% were in an unfavourable condition.
The Waterwise website has more tips and information you may wish to look at.
South Staffs Water encourage the wider promotion of the efficient use of water and energy resources and the protection of the natural environment.
www.ecsc.org.uk|
Back to Top