HOUSEHOLDS in Ringwood, Christchurch, Bournemouth, the New Forest and south of Salisbury are being urged to “use water with care” as a provider seeks to manage demand amid drought conditions.

Bournemouth Water, whose area includes parts of Wiltshire south of Salisbury, is asking customers to help reduce water use as “prolonged hot, dry weather continues to drive exceptionally high demand across the area”.

Soaring temperatures this summer have “put pressure on parts of the local drinking water network across Bournemouth, Christchurch, Ringwood and the New Forest”, the company said.

“Recent fires across the region have also increased demand significantly, both through firefighting activity and precautionary water use by local communities,” a spokesperson added.

It comes after last week, the Environment Agency declared half of England, including Dorset, in drought.

And this week, the Met Office has warned of a further notable heatwave developing, with amber heat alerts in place until Friday evening (August 14).

In response, to help maintain supplies, Bournemouth Water is asking customers and visitors to the area to use water with care until temperatures start to fall.

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Richard Stanbrook, general manager of drinking water services, said: “The prolonged hot weather over the last few weeks, paired with firefighting activity from recent large fires, has resulted in exceptionally high demand on our drinking water network.

“Our teams are working around the clock to move water around the area, bring in supplies from areas under less pressure, and maximise production at our treatment works.

“To help protect water supplies across the network and reduce the risk of supply interruptions, we are asking customers to reduce their water usage where possible until temperatures begin to drop. We all need to use water wisely in these extreme conditions, and small changes can make a big difference.”

Customers can help save water by:

• Taking a four-minute shower
• Turning off the tap while brushing their teeth
• Only using washing machines and dishwashers with full loads
• Using a watering can instead of a hose where and when possible
• Watering gardens in the early morning or late evening
• Keeping a jug of drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap until it is cold
• Checking for dripping taps or leaks around the home

For more information and additional water saving tips, visit www.bournemouthwater.co.uk/household/your-services/save-water.

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