Severn Trent is appealing to Birmingham households to be mindful of their water usage on Saturday as two demand spikes are expected, driven by the ongoing heatwave and England's World Cup clash with Norway.
The water company recorded a rise of 203 million litres in water demand on a single day this week, with customers using an extra 44 litres per day during the third summer heatwave. With temperatures forecast to reach 30°C in Birmingham on Saturday and the England match kicking off at 10pm, peak demand is predicted at half-time and full-time, as people take toilet breaks, enjoy a drink, or shower before bed.
Previous Matches Show Clear Patterns
During England's 2am match against Mexico, demand surged by 1.54 million litres compared to a normal Monday morning. In the earlier 9pm match against Croatia, demand dropped sharply at kick-off but rose again at half-time and full-time, reflecting similar usage patterns.
Severn Trent Network Operations Lead Howard Perry said: “It’s the third heatwave of the summer with no rain expected and we’re seeing people use much more water for longer periods than usual. And whilst we don’t have any restrictions in place, we’d really welcome everyone’s support to be mindful of water use.”
Extended Evening Peak
Perry added that the usual evening peak, which typically ends at 9pm, is now stretching until 1am each day. He also noted that in north Staffordshire, the first water resources trigger has been reached due to dry weather, asking customers there to be particularly mindful.
“There are no restrictions in place in the Severn Trent region and we want to reassure everyone that we’re working round the clock, producing hundreds of millions of extra water each day,” Perry said. “We’d really appreciate your support to keep water flowing this summer.”
Tips for Reducing Water Use
Severn Trent advises customers to use water wisely, such as avoiding watering gardens, as grass will recover once rain returns. The company has dedicated crews ready to maintain supply during the busy period.
