Thames Water and other water firms across the UK are warning customers of potential water shortages due to increased demand following a record-breaking heatwave. They are advising customers to adopt water-saving measures, such as swapping hosepipes for watering cans and reusing water where possible, to help preserve supplies. Meanwhile, emergency services have been stretched by a string of fatal water-related incidents involving children and teenagers getting into difficulty in open water.
Amidst fears of water shortages following a record-breaking heatwave, water firm bosses are urging customers to adopt water-saving measures . Thames Water has revealed that an extra billion litres of water were used across London and the South East over the bank holiday weekend compared to the same period in 2025, driven by a significant increase in demand due to the hottest May on record.
The water company has advised customers to swap hosepipes for watering cans, use paddling pool water for plants, and let lawns go 'golden' to help preserve supplies ahead of another heatwave this summer. Other water firms across the country have also warned of reduced supply, with South East Water reporting that 8,000 customers in Whitstable, Kent, have been left without water, and 14,000 people in Tankerton, Ashford, and surrounding areas experiencing low water pressure and patchy supply.
While the weather is expected to turn cooler and more unsettled over the weekend, with rain forecast for much of the UK on Monday, water firms are encouraging customers to continue water-saving practices to help maintain supplies. The recent heatwave has also led to an increase in water-related incidents, with a 16-year-old boy becoming the 12th person to die in such an incident.
Police were called to Bracklinn Falls near Callander in Stirlingshire, Scotland, where the teenager's body was recovered from the water. Emergency services have been stretched by a string of fatal incidents involving children and teenagers getting into difficulty in open water, highlighting the importance of water safety during the hot weather
Water Shortages Heatwave Water-Saving Measures Thames Water Open Water Safety
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