Shropshire Star

Poll: As Severn Trent makes plea, are you taking steps to save water?

It may only be April, but it's never too early to issue the first warning about saving water.

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In a month devoid of its characteristic showers, Severn Trent today called on people to save rainwater by buying butts for their gardens.

The utility firm today insisted its reservoirs and other water sources are pretty much full, despite a mini heatwave that has seen little rain fall this month.

But it is also asking that people do not become complacent and think about being "water wise".

Marcus O'Kane, water resources manager for Severn Trent, said: "Just lately the weather has been beautiful and many of us took the opportunity to get into the garden and start tidying up after the winter.

"But when we do get a spring shower or two, it's the perfect time to collect rainwater in a water butt. That way you can keep the garden watered without using water from the tap.

"It may seem crazy to be talking about saving water, especially this early in the year, but what if we do get a long, hot, dry summer?

"Most people would think that's great, but we need to think long-term about our water usage. We're confident that our water resources are in the best possible position at the moment, and we don't currently envisage any restrictions.

"However, if there's even a chance that it's going to be hot, then we need to get into good habits now. With weather patterns the way they are lately, we never know what's around the corner."

Severn Trent is so keen for people to invest in water butts that it has them on offer for £14.99 on its website, with free delivery thrown in.

Dairy farmer Andrew Bebb, of Hanwood, near Shrewsbury, said an increasing number of farmers are storing water in reservoirs for crops like potatoes.

He said: "Water storage is important for higher value crops like potatoes, carrots and onions. As farmers we know to never rely on forecasts. But to plan our week out we need to roughly know what it's going to do. We like a bit of rain at night and warm in the day."

According to the Met Office, its current three-month outlook shows that above average temperatures are more likely than below average temperatures for the April to June period.

A spokesman said: "The outlook is essentially the scientific equivalent of factoring the odds on a horse race and, just like a horse race, the favourite doesn't always win.

"It's also important to note that above average temperatures over a three-month period could come about in a variety of ways in terms of actual weather – we can still see warmer than average temperatures when it's cloudy and wet, for example.

"Unfortunately, the weather we get in April doesn't necessarily tell us anything about the kind of summer we can expect. We're still in the midst of spring, so it's far too early to say what the months of June, July and August may hold."

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