Some households in England will be receiving £30 off their next water bill after customers significantly reduced their water consumption over the last month.
South West Water (SWW) announced yesterday that customers in Cornwall are set to receive £30 off their next water bill after helping restore Colliford Reservoir.
In November, South West Water asked the residents of Cornwall to help “Stop the Drop” and reduce their water consumption to increase the levels of the local drought -hit reservoir.
The firm said if residents managed to increase the storage capacity of Colliford Reservoir back up to 30% by the end of December then they would be rewarded.
Cornwall residents hit the target of 30% restoration target with another week yet to go so will receive a £30 credit to their South West Water account.
Colliford is q strategic reservoir serving over a quarter of a million households in Cornwall and after months of sparse rainfall and bursts of extreme heat which led to the driest July since 1935, storage levels within the reservoir fell to their lowest-ever recorded levels.
In August, Cornwall and Devon were hit with its first hosepipe ban in 26 years after a drought was declared across certain areas of England and Wales.
Although storage levels are improving, South West Water is still urging customers to continue saving water where possible to ensure reservoir reserves are topped up as much as possible heading into the spring and summer next year.
Over the last year, South West Water gave out over 75,000 water-saving devices such as water butts and flow-reducing shower heads.
In December, research by South West Water found that a majority of adults in Cornwall and Devon, nearly 80%, were planning to make long-term changes to reduce their water usage.
Susan Davy, chief executive officer, of Pennon Group, owner of South West Water, said: “I’m delighted that customers have helped show what a big difference small steps can make when multiplied across our region, and I would like to thank every customer who has taken steps to reduce their water consumption and help Colliford reach 30% capacity.
“Since launching our Stop the Drop customer initiative we have seen water consumption across Cornwall reduce at times compared to last year, but there is still more to be done. By making long-term changes to our water habits we can help our reservoirs continue to recover ahead of the spring and summer months.
“For those customers looking to make New Year’s resolutions, not only is saving water great for the environment, but if you are on a water meter it can save you money on your bills.”
