Residents warned over water use as temperatures set to approach 40C next week

Anglian Water engineers are gearing up for possibly their biggest weekend on record as a heat wave arrives in the region.

The Met Office have given a rare Red Extreme Heat Warning for Monday and Tuesday – with an amber warning in place on Sunday.

"There is enough water to go around but we still need customers to use water wisely”

This week, Anglian Water has reported a 35% increase in the amount of water used by customers taking levels over 1.4billion litres a day. And with forecasts predicting that early next week may see the hottest days ever recorded in Britain, the water company are preparing for even higher levels of water going into supply, with pipe networks feeling the heat.

Ian Rule, Director of Water Services for Anglian Water said: “On a normal day, we supply roughly 1.1 billion litres of top-quality drinking water to our 4.3 million customers across the East of England, but with temperatures predicted to reach 36 degrees next week we’re expecting to exceed a record breaking 1.5 billion litres.

“While our water supplies are currently in relatively good health across the region, with reservoirs over 80% full and groundwater levels in a good position for the summer, there is enough water to go around but we still need customers to use water wisely to help us keep taps flowing.

“When the weather heats up, the demand for water significantly increases which puts added pressure on the water network. When everyone tries to draw on the water supply at the same time water pressure can dip, so customers may notice water can’t flow from their taps as freely as usual. We have an army of engineers working hard already to ensure everything is in the best shape possible before the hottest weather hits.”

“Everyone who cares about nature has a role to play in striking the right balance”

The East of England is one of the driest regions in the country and has a delicate environmental balance. This summer’s heat wave is just one of the kinds of extreme weather challenges that are becoming more common as a result of global climate change. It is also one of the fastest growing regions, with potential population growth of a million people by 2045.

Ian added: “Water is a precious resource, and we see ourselves its custodians, responsible for balancing the needs of customers with those of the environment. However, everyone who cares about nature has a role to play in striking the right balance - we all need to work together and that includes relying on our customers to use water wisely while continuing to have fun in the sun.”

Top water saving tips

Anglian Water’s top ways to save water and money off bills:

Stay hydrated - leave a jug of tap water in the fridge to cool down rather than running the tap until it's cold.

If you’ve already filled the paddling pool for the day, don’t empty it! You can save loads on your water bill by using gentle disinfectant tablets that keep the paddling pool water fresh for days of use and fun with the kids. Or reuse the water to wash the dog, the car or water the flower beds.

Learn to love your brown lawn – leave the sprinkler in the shed this summer. Grass is extremely hard to kill. Your lawn will soon bounce back and be vibrant and green again.

Fix that dripping tap. Dripping taps are just money running down the drain. If your tap dripped every second, all day, it would waste around 17 litres in just 24hours! That’s over 6000 litres and around £30 a year.