South West says drought has sparked behaviour change

South West Water has reported a change in attitudes to water usage among its customers after drought was declared across the region earlier this year.

Research conducted by the water company among its customers found that 79% intend to make long-term changes to reduce their water consumption.

The poll shows that 69% of the region’s residents no longer fill their kettle all the way, while 68% now turn off the tap when brushing their teeth or shaving.

Meanwhile, 57% are taking fewer baths and the same percentage have taken shorter showers this year in order to cut back and save water.

The south west remains in official drought status following one of the hottest and driest periods for 130 and while reservoir levels are recovering they remain low, especially in Cornwall.

Last month chief executive Susan Davy told Utility Week that the company was actively seeking new sources of water, including desalination plants and the transformation of a disused clay pit into a reservoir

Laura Flowerdew, chief customer and digital officer at South West, said: “While recent rainfall across the South West has certainly helped to stabilise and start to recover our reservoirs, it will take a combined effort to get the region’s water resources back to where they need to be.

“We recognise that the population in our region will continue to grow, demand will increase, and climate change is having long-term impacts on the water cycle, so we are investing in long-term resilience and it’s great to see our customers are making long-term changes as well.

“Our teams are out fixing more leaks than ever before, including repairing customer leaks for free and speaking directly with customers to share water-saving advice and devices.

“So far this year we have given more than 75,000 free water-saving devices to customers ranging from water butts to flow-reducing shower heads.”