With Guernsey set for another week of warm weather after a short respite, Guernsey Water has issued a warning to locals to be use water wisely.
While reservoir levels remain healthy and storage is currently where it would be expected to be for this time of year, the utility said the recent heatwave led to an unusually sharp increase in demand for treated water.
Operations Manager Jon Holt told Express the island would typically use around 13.5 million litres of water a day during the summer, with occasional peaks of 14 or 15 million litres.
However, during the recent spell of hot weather, demand exceeded 15 million litres on four consecutive days, which was “unusual and quite extreme”, he said.
Mr Holt said the increase was likely driven by people trying to stay cool and keep gardens watered.
‘Small things make a difference’
He stressed that the warning was not a sign of an immediate supply problem, but a reminder that “every drop counts” as the summer gets underway.
Residents are being encouraged to water gardens outside the hottest part of the day and reuse water where possible.
“Small things – if they’re done by thousands of customers – do make a big difference,” Mr Holt said.
The States-owned utility said it enters each summer aiming to have reservoirs full and treatment works operating at maximum capacity.
With reservoirs currently full and infrastructure in good condition, Mr Holt said the focus now shifts to ensuring customers use water wisely.
“I think we’re experiencing this very hot weather very early in the summer, so being ready for that sort of summer and behaving in the right way from the start is the best way to go,” he said.
Guernsey Water collects rainwater through the island’s stream network before storing it in reservoirs and quarries.
The water is then treated at facilities including St Saviour’s and King’s Mills before being supplied to homes and businesses across the island.
Mr Holt said taking sensible steps now would be more effective than waiting until water supplies came under pressure later in the summer.
