Anglian Water launches water-saving campaign ahead of hosepipe ban tomorrow

ANGLIAN Water has launched the region’s biggest ever water saving campaign.

Drop 20 challenges everyone in East Anglia – a region which has experienced its driest 18-month period for more than a century –to save 20 litres of water each day.

The Huntingdon-based company launched the campaign in the week when the hosepipe ban comes into force – the ban begins tomorrow (Thursday).

The campaign urges people to reduce their daily personal water use from 145 litres – the current regional average – to 125 litres and potentially save 120million litres a day.

“It’s surprising how simple it can be to drop 20 from your daily water use,” said Paul Valleley, director of water services at Anglian Water. “Most people don’t even realise how much water they use every day, especially in the home and garden. People don’t deliberately waste water, but every drop that isn’t put to good use or saved for later puts more pressure on the available supplies in the environment. We just want to help people do their bit to tackle a problem that is testing all of us.”

Household water-saving kits will be available from Anglian Water’s website (www.everyone-drop-20.co.uk) with customers in particularly water-stressed areas eligible for free visits from a qualified plumber. The kit includes a dual-flush convertor for older toilets, as well as devices to reduce the flow from taps and showers.

The company has also partnered with the Royal Horticultural Society to launch ‘The Potting Shed’ (www.anglianwwater.co.uk/thepottingshed) where customers can get free water saving packs for the garden.