Severn Trent has thanked customers after giving away 8,000 free water saving devices during the record dry summer – helping potentially save up to 100,000 litres a day.

A series of community giveaway events were held in Derbyshire and Staffordshire and saw customers pick up the free flow-reducing showerheads, timers and tap inserts.

The potential combined water saving could reach 100,000 litres per day – more than 1,200 full bathtubs - while scores of people also signed up for money-saving smart water meters.

Severn Trent is now encouraging the public to continue to be ‘water-wise’ all year round, as it deals with the twin challenges of climate change and population growth.

And the company is doing its bit by investing £420m in laying more than 800 miles of new pipes across the region, including in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. It is also finding and fixing more leaks than ever, with a record 16% reduction in the last five years. It is also upgrading and developing new treatment works, including Witches Oak in Derbyshire, to make sure there is enough water flowing through the network. 

Doug Clarke, Water Resources Planning Lead at Severn Trent, said: “We’re delighted so many customers took up the offer of free water-saving devices and smart meters this summer.   We supply eight million customers, so even small changes can make a big difference.

“We have seen some rain in recent weeks, but it’s easy to forget we had the driest spring on record and the annual rainfall this year is way below what we normally see. At many of our sites reservoir levels are improving, but we do have less water than we would want in some of our reservoirs at this time of year. 

“With climate change, experts say droughts like we experienced this year could happen more often.  This is why it’s important we all do our bit to help reservoirs refill over winter.

“That is why we would encourage everyone to continue to be water-wise all year round, not just during the summer. By doing so, they can help the environment - and save themselves money if they have a meter, or even through their energy usage on hot water.”

Severn Trent’s six simple water saving tips: 

• Get a smart water meter – You wouldn’t pay for unused energy, so why would you with water? Having a smart meter puts you in control of your water usage and what you pay. Have one installed, and switch today, to start seeing how you could save. To find out more, visit here.

• Turn Off Taps When Not in Use – Did you know that a running tap uses over SIX litres of water every minute? So, by turning them off while you brush your teeth, you’ll be saving over 12 litres of water. Similarly, if you’re washing the dishes, filling the bowl with water rather than having a running tap will help to save water. 

• Fix Leaks Promptly – We’re all busy and it’s easy to put off getting leaks fixed, yet even small leaks can waste significant amounts of water. So regularly check your taps, showerheads and toilets for leaks and repair them as soon as possible. Leaky loos can waste hundreds of litres every day. For more information on leak-detecting, visit here. 

• Use Water-Efficient Fixtures – We all love a power shower, but they use A LOT more water than a normal shower, so consider installing water-saving devices such as low-flow showerheads or dual-flush toilets which do the same job while using less water. 

• Try a shower timer – Showers are one of the largest users of water in a household. And while you might love singing through your setlist while washing the suds out of your hair, a shower timer might just keep you on track to spend less time in there. Not only will that help lower you water bill, but it could also cut your energy bill – and your neighbour’s ears will also benefit! 

• Run Full Loads – Dishwashers are becoming much more energy and water efficient and if used correctly, by only using them when it is full, can be more efficient than washing dishes by hand. Similarly, only using your washing machine on a full load will mean less cycles and less water used.