Water Companies Warn Taps Could Run Dry In Heatwave

Water companies have issued a warning that people's taps could run dry during the heatwave as there is an increased demand for water.

Britain is bracing for record levels of heat as temperatures are predicted to climb as high as 40ºC in some parts of the UK, which would smash the previous record for the hottest day in Britain.

England has been issued a red extreme heat warning for today and tomorrow (18 and 19 July) as the high temperatures pose a severe risk to life.

It's so hot that chocolate is melting on the shelves of supermarkets and people are painting railway tracks white to prevent them from warping in the heat.

This isn't 'go out and enjoy the sunny weather' type of heat, this is 'stay indoors and keep hydrated' levels of danger.

It could be about to get even worse too, as water companies are telling customers to be careful with the amount of water they use to avoid the risk of turning the tap and nothing coming out.

They warn that increased demand from everyone trying to stay cool and hydrated during the heatwave will mean a loss of water pressure for some people and possibly even no water for others.

Customers have been asked to limit their water usage in any way they can on the days of the year when staying hydrated is more important than ever.

While nobody should be cutting down on the amount of water they drink, people are being advised to cut the showers down to four or five minutes and stop doing things like watering the lawn or washing the car.

According to Anglian Water, more than 70 percent of a person's water use is in the bathroom and if everyone could limit themselves to just five minutes in the shower it'd save them 100 million litres of water daily.

That's handy since the UK is predicted to use hundreds of millions more litres than average during the heatwave, putting water companies under pressure to satisfy everyone's needs.

Affinity Water said: "Because of the hot weather, many of us are using much more water. This means you may notice lower pressure or no water when demand is higher in your area."

While South East Water said: "Despite seeing record demands for water, we are currently seeing minimal customers' supplies interrupted due to hot weather in our water supply region of parts of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire."

Official advice for dealing with the heatwave includes staying out of the sunlight, especially during peak hours of 11am to 3pm.

People suffering from the heat are also advised to keep windows closed during the hottest parts of the day to keep hot air out, while opening them again when it gets cooler.

Then again, it's not going to be all that cool overnight during the heatwave so that may not help as much as usual.

Windows in direct view of the sun should have their curtains closed to avoid the harsh glare shining through.

Saving water during the next couple of days is going to be paramount as turning the tap and nothing coming out is the nightmare scenario.