We tackle some of the water-saving myths floating about.

17th June 2022

Every year we ask our customers to save 5 litres of water, and every year you all surprise us with your ingenious ways to save water. We’re incredibly proud of those of you who take up the challenge again and again.

But there are also many misconceptions about why we ask you all to save water. “We live on an island, a very rainy island at that – water’s everywhere!” “The population is much smaller than in other areas of the country – we’re not the ones using it all, it’s the tourists!” “I pay for it, so I’ll use as much as I like!”

We’re here to bust some of those myths.

Myth 1: “There isn’t any shortage of water, so we don’t need to bother.”

Looking at satellite images of the Earth, it’s not surprising that many people believe we’ll never run out of water – I mean, most of the planet is blue… The thing is, not all that water is drinkable. In fact, only 1% of all the water on our planet is accessible freshwater (some of the freshwater is held in the ice-caps, but we don’t want them melting any time soon!). Freshwater is a lot cheaper to clean and treat to the standard of tap water we’re used to in this country. Treating salty water (desalination) uses a lot more energy and is therefore a much more expensive operation.

So, that 1% is all we’ve got if we’re to be sustainable.

But 1% for a rising global population that’s demanding more and more of it, is not a lot. We’re aware of that, and even though it’s very unlikely we’re going to run out of water tomorrow, we have to start reducing how much we use today to protect our rivers, wildlife and environment for the future.

It’s like climate change – there wouldn’t be a global emergency now, if people had listened and acted 50 years ago. So, start our 5-litre challenge today!

 

Myth 2: “It rains all the time.”

Sometimes it can feel like it rains all the time (especially on those weekends you’ve planned a barbeque!). But in reality, over the past year we’ve seen less rainfall than average. As a result, The Environment Agency have reported that, in May, river flows in Bournemouth ranged from ‘below normal’ to ‘notably low’ for the time of year.

If you saw your local river low would you think about the water coming out of your kitchen tap?

It’s all connected - the more tap water we use, the less is left in the environment. With the environment naturally running low, it’s more important than ever that we save water this year!

 

Myth 3: “We wouldn’t need to save water if there weren’t so many tourists.”

Those of us who live in Bournemouth are incredibly aware of the effects tourism has on the area. At the peak of the season, the demand for water rises considerably. We plan for these peaks every year and our people work incredibly hard, monitoring the water resources and moving water around our network to meet the demand at all hours of the day.

But they’ve noticed that the average demand without the tourists is higher now than it ever has been. So, even if we had no visitors to the area, we’d still be asking you to save water.

The 1% of available water isn’t going to change (it’s the same amount of water that was available to the dinosaurs!), but our use of it has. To tackle the demand rise, we all have a role to play. That’s why we’re encouraging you to take part in the 5-litre challenge.

 

Myth 4: “If I save water, you’ll charge me more!”

If you’re on a water meter, you’re charged for the water you use. That’s it. So, if you use less water, you’ll be charged less. Our bills are now the lowest they have been for 10 years, so saving water will only further reduce the amount you’re paying.

We also provide water-saving devices, completely free of charge, to help you tackle how much water you use. From shower heads to toilet buffalos that reduce the amount used in a flush, you can make significant savings without changing your routine. And without any additional cost.

 

Myth 5: I’ll save water, only when you sort out your leaks

Our leakage team work round-the-clock, literally, to detect and repair leaks across the region. They can be up in the small hours repairing leaks on busy main roads, or they could be baking under the summer sun as they stand knee-high in gushing water. Snow, rain, wind, sun; freezing to melting temperatures; our people don’t stop tackling leaks. Even on Christmas Day!

This will continue regardless of how much water you use.

 

Saving water benefits you in so many ways – reducing your bill so you have more to spend on what really matters; protecting the environment so you can still go paddleboarding, swimming, canoeing and walking along your rivers; making sure there’s enough water to go round for future generations.

Every drop saved makes a big difference.