Sponsored Editorial

With June being the hottest since records began, demand for water in Kent has broken all previous records, including during the Covid lockdown heatwave periods, for customers of South East Water.

Despite the company producing an additional 120 million litres of water a day - equivalent to supplying four towns the size of Maidstone – they were unable to keep its underground treated water storage tanks at an acceptable level to ensure that it could consistently provide clean safe drinking quality water for its 2.3 million customers.

It left them with no choice but to restrict the use of hose pipes and sprinklers which use treated tap water. However, your gardens can still bloom, and you can keep cool in the sunshine with many small swaps that will help to save water this summer.

Did you know?

- The Earth is made of more than 70 per cent water, yet only one per cent of the Earth's water can sustainably be converted into safe drinking water.

- Clean water isn’t just for drinking, it is also used to flush your toilets and feed your outdoor water taps, where you would attach a hosepipe.

- The average hosepipe uses 170 litres of drinking quality water every 10 minutes, that’s around 19 toilet flushes or two bathtubs every 10 minutes.

- A watering can, on average, takes just 10 litres of water to fill. They also get right to a plant’s roots to quench its thirst. Watering late evening or early morning watering will ensure plants blossom just as brightly.

- Filling a paddling pool with a hosepipe for just one hour can use the same amount of water as a whole family would use in the home in two days.

By swapping a hosepipe for a watering can or a pool for water blasters, you save water, and money, whilst still having fun and ensuring your plants are nourished.

South East Water is very grateful to the many customers who are already helping by making small changes to save water. Working together will make sure that everyone can enjoy summer.

For more ideas on how to save water in and out of the home, check out South East Water’s website here