1,000 Tankers of Water Have Moved Across NI This Week

23 July 2021 17:37

NI Water would like to thank the public for stepping up over the last few days and reducing unnecessary water usage. Demand is still extremely high though, still over 100millions litres more than normal so do not become complacent; please act now to save water.   

Avoid wasting water where it is not necessary but please stay hydrated.  We need to ensure everyone has sufficient water for hygiene and daily use.

Des Nevin, Director of Customer Operations, comments:

“While we have seen a slight drop in demand yesterday, it’s still nowhere near enough. We still need everyone to only use the water they need.

“We understand that the public are struggling in the current heatwave and this is making people turn on their sprinklers and fill pools to stay cool however, please think about the impact those activities will have and avoid them.

“A hose uses more water in one hour than the average family uses in a whole day and filling a 12ft swimming pool uses the same amount of water 500 people use for daily handwashing.  

“It is our last resort to introduce a hosepipe ban but ultimately, that choice lays in the hands of our customers, if everyone simply uses the water they actually need, there will be plenty for everyone. 

“Cleaning water is a long and energy intensive process and we are working as quickly as possible to get it to taps but we cannot go any faster, we need the public to do their bit to help. 

 

“If demand continues at this level it will lead to failures in our network and some customers will lose supply or suffer low pressure. A number of customers over the past few days are already experiencing this, especially those on high ground.

 “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.”

Some of the easiest tips to save water that can make a massive difference include:

Additional Tips for Garden:

• Lawns are great survivors - a sprinkler can use as much as 1,000 litres of clean drinking water in a single hour; more than a family of four would use in a whole day. Even when they look dry and brown, they’ll spring back with the first heavy rain, so avoid watering them wherever possible.
• Buy water efficient plants - If you are buying new plants now the garden centres are open look out for water efficient plants that still brighten your garden
• Be pot savvy - If you’re potting up or planting containers, use ones made from plastic, glazed terracotta or wood. These tend to lose less water than bare terracotta. Bury a short length of pipe into your pot; if you water into the tube the water goes directly to the roots where the plant needs it most
• Mulch weeds away - Use mulches like bark chips or gravel to retain moisture and keep weeds down

Tips for House:

• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth - A running tap can use 6 litres of water per minute.
• Make full use of your washing machine - Half load programmes on washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load, so wait until the machine is full before switching it on.
• Take shorter showers - Why not challenge yourself and your family to shower one minute quicker? In a year you could save up to 10,000 litres of water!
• Take a shower instead of a bath - One bath can use up to 100 litres of water, whereas an efficient shower uses under 50 litres. But remember power showers can use more water than baths.
• Car washing - Avoid washing cars and vans frequently, use a bucket and sponge

NI Water are 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. Sign up here https://www.niwater.com/register-for-keeping-you-informed/

ENDS

For more information please contact press.office@niwater.com