Customers across Scotland asked to use water wisely

Scottish Water is asking customers to use water wisely in their daily activities to help maintain supplies during the current period of hot summer weather.
Following a sustained dry period without any significant rainfall, customer usage has increased significantly. With the current weather conditions forecast to continue, Scottish Water is encouraging people to take simple but important steps to conserve our public water supplies.

In some areas there has been a 30% increase in demand for water during the summer so far and an additional 140 million litres are currently being produced and pushed through the system every day to meet current customer usage.

Scottish Water has been monitoring the situation closely and managing supplies across the country, including deploying additional resources to move water between distribution areas and tankering water to supplement local networks.  

Some water treatment works and distribution networks are working at near capacity to meet demand.  

Average reservoir levels are generally normal for this time of year but the current level of usage and continuing dry weather means stocks of stored water available for use are reducing.

Customers are being asked to reduce usage wherever possible. Businesses are also being asked to consider their usage and how they can use water more efficiently. Simple, practical steps which we encourage include:

• Taking shorter showers

• Using a watering can rather than a hose to water plants

• Using a bucket rather than a hose to wash vehicles; only washing windscreens/lights instead of the whole vehicle

• Turning off taps in the home whenever possible

• Using washing machines and dishwashers fully loaded

To help customers use water wisely, advice is available on their website www.scottishwater.co.uk/savewaterscotland or call Customer Helpline on 0800 0778 778.