Southern Water has launched a new incentive scheme offering businesses in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight money off their bills in return for saving water.
Under the ‘You Save, We’ll Pay’ scheme, businesses will receive a discount of 10%, 20% or 25% of their wholesale water charges if they save the equivalent amount of water in September, October and November this year (compared to 2019 average usage pre-covid).
The water company said it hopes to avoid the potential need to impose further restrictions on businesses to protect river levels later in the autumn by proactively working with local businesses in this way. Water levels of the River Test and River Itchen continue to fall amid one of the UK’s driest and hottest years on record.
The incentive scheme is the latest water-saving step to follow the Temporary Use Ban (also known as a hosepipe ban), which was introduced for households in early August. Residential customers have reduced their use by about 10% and Southern Water is now looking to businesses to play their part so that total demand drops.
The utility has more fix-and-repair leakage teams on the ground than ever before – more than 320 team members, who have fixed 17,000 leaks and counting in 2022.
Katy Taylor, Chief Customer Officer for Southern Water, said:
“River flows are much lower than they should be for this time of year so we must do everything possible to protect our environment and customers’ water supplies. We have already seen our communities stepping up to support the hosepipe ban and we are now calling on local businesses to help too.
“We are proactively rolling out this scheme to reward businesses for using less water, over and above their normal cost savings. By working together we can avoid further restrictions and protect river levels.
“We will continue to work in close partnership with our communities and the Environment Agency as we respond to the challenge of current drought conditions.”
Southern Water’s multi-million-pound Water for Life – Hampshire programme includes a new reservoir being built in Havant Thicket, due to be operational by 2029. Under a separate proposal from the current, approved plans for Havant Thicket Reservoir, purified recycled water will pass into the reservoir before being further treated and distributed to customers via Otterbourne Water Supply Works.
The Hampshire Water Transfer and Water Recycling Project is subject to further consultation and planning approvals.
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