Livestock farmers offered free mobile water tanks amid continuing hot and dry weather
Severn Trent is offering free mobile water tanks to livestock farmers across Shropshire as part of an initiative to help manage water demand.
It comes after the country experienced the driest March in 60 years, the sunniest April on record, and more warm and dry weather this month so far.
Kevin Hatch from Severn Trent’s network operations said 700 water bowsers will be made available to farmers across the water supplier's region.
Priority is being given to those with livestock, particularly dairy farms, to help farmers store enough water and support animal welfare during potential hot weather periods.
The water bowsers can also be fitted with a trailer.
"Our aim is to get the 1,100-litre bowsers to the farmers who need them most, providing dependable, on-farm water storage to help maintain supply for livestock during dry spells or for water emergencies," Kevin said.
"Our teams will work closely with farmers to understand their water needs and arrange collections from agreed pick-up points, so the bowsers can be efficiently distributed to where they’ll make the greatest difference."
Originally used as part of Severn Trent’s emergency fleet, the bowsers are being redistributed as the company has upgraded its equipment to feature almost 12 times greater storage capacity.
Kevin continued: "The bowsers we’re giving away are in excellent condition, having been dry stored and rarely used, and will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis across our priority areas to farms that meet the criteria.
"They’re fitted with forklift-accessible cages to make them easy to transport and will be cleaned and labelled before distribution.
"While provided empty, the bowsers are ready to fill and use for non-potable purposes - offering a practical solution to help farmers manage peak water demands or low availability. It also helps livestock farms, who must ensure that they have at least 24 hours of water storage for their animals, which is vitally important as we had the driest spring on record."
The new initiative comes after many farmers reached out to Severn Trent during dry spells in 2018 and 2022, asking for help when water supplies ran low.
The county has become the water company's first focus for the giveaway.
"Shropshire has a particularly high number of livestock farms and is especially vulnerable to dry conditions, which is why the region is the first focus for the giveaway scheme," Kevin added.
Severn Trent said it will be expanding the initiative to cover other areas in the region, including Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, and Herefordshire.
Livestock farmers in Shropshire are being asked to register their interest by sending an email to EnvEngagement@severntrent.co.uk by June 6.
