‘Overwhelming’ Public Support Revealed For Temporary Water Use Bans

Droughts are becoming increasingly common in the UK, despite our famously damp climate, with climate change expected to bring with it more extreme weather events as time goes on.

The effects of rising global temperatures are already being seen, with the country just having experienced its sixth-driest spring on record and this summer emerging as the hottest on record, as well, with a mean average temperature of 16.1 degrees C.

As our summers continue to get both longer and hotter, drought conditions are also predicted to increase in line with this.

Common effects of drought include:

Ecosystem degradation

Local ecosystems and biodiversity can be severely affected by drought. For example, algal bloom growth can be accelerated by hot weather, while rivers can quickly deteriorate, leading to increased mortality risk among aquatic species.

Agricultural issues

Agricultural productivity and food production can be affected by drought if water restrictions are brought in, putting stress on crops such as root vegetables and peas, as well as grass growth, which can make it harder to feed livestock.

Social impacts

People’s health and safety can be affected by drought. For example, health problems linked to poor water quality and low water flow can arise, as can anxiety and depression related to potential economic losses.

Human life can be lost, public safety can be at risk because of an increase in range and forest fires, and so on.

Water use restrictions

If water companies implement water use restrictions, people may find that they are temporarily banned from washing cars, filling swimming pools or using hosepipes to water their gardens.

However, where this latter point is concerned, it seems that there is particularly strong public support in place – suggesting that people are now starting to switch on to just how urgent the water crisis is becoming.

Temporary water use bans

Research from water efficiency experts Waterwise has just revealed that there is now overwhelming public support for temporary water use restrictions (also known as hosepipe bans).

Some 63 per cent believe that it’s right to ask people not to use hosepipes for as long as is needed, while 70 per cent believe it to be justifiable to install such bans during hot, dry and sunny conditions.

Furthermore, it was found that 73 per cent are now concerned about the UK’s water availability, regardless of whether their region was under a ban or not.

And it seems that people are keen to do their part to safeguard water resources for future generations, with 70 per cent of those asked saying that they’re now taking steps to reduce household water consumption.

Commenting on the findings, CEO of Waterwise Nicci Russell said: ““The high level of concern during drought and heatwaves for water availability, coupled with the willingness to take action, provides a strong foundation for future water efficiency campaigns and highlights the public’s commitment to ensuring water security for everyone.

“The challenge now is to keep that concern and action going all year round. We are running out of water, and all of us have a part to play.”

How can businesses help to save water?

While it’s wonderful to hear that individuals are keen to save water at home, businesses are particularly well placed to make significant inroads in this regard as their usage rates will inevitably be far higher.

If you’re keen to improve your water footprint and build resilience into your systems so you can withstand the potential shocks coming our way as a result of climate change, get in touch with the SwitchWaterSupplier.com team to see how we can help.

We’ll work closely with you to build up an in-depth understanding of how and where you use water, so we can advise you on the best water-saving solutions for you and your organisation.

Different measures include greywater recycling, rainwater harvesting, onsite wetland construction, water-efficient appliance installation, employee awareness campaigns, improved filtration methods and so on, all of which will help you use less water… saving yourself money at the same time.

The first step towards improving your business water stewardship is to have a desktop water audit carried out, where bills are compared against water usage to make sure that you’re only paying for what you use.

It’s also possible for you to recoup funds if any historical billing errors are discovered – so it’s certainly worth investigating, just from that perspective alone.

If you’d like to find out more, give the team a call today.