South West Water customers in Cornwall will get £10 off their next bill after successfully reducing their water use.
The company set household customers the challenge in February as part of a trial tariff, offering a £10 credit if the county collectively achieved the reduction by 5 May.
Customers have responded impressively by using around 5% less water over the last three months – helping reduce the water we need to take from the environment, and taking money off their bills as well.
The initiative is part of South West Water’s Water is Precious campaign to encourage customers, businesses and visitors to use water more efficiently, with the UK believed to need an extra 4 billion litres of water a day by 2050 to meet growing demand.
The company is also playing its part with a £125 million investment to increase water resources across the South West.
By investing in new water sources, such as repurposed quarries, as well as continuing to drive down leakage, by 2025 it will boost the region’s resources in Cornwall by 45% and in Devon by 30%.
Laura Flowerdew, South West Water’s Chief Customer and Digital Officer, said: “We would like to thank our customers for embracing our Water is Precious campaign. In the face of climate change, it’s important we save this increasingly scarce resource all year round.
Small steps like spending a couple of minutes less in the shower each day and turning off the tap while brushing your teeth really do count. By taking these actions, it also saves money on their bills and protects the environment we all treasure.”
A key priority for South West Water’s 2025-2030 Business Plan is to introduce new, innovative tariffs that deliver fairer charging structures and encourage customers to only using the water they need. The company will use this trial to work with customers and stakeholders to help roll out improved ways of charging across the region.
For more information on the trial and water-saving tips, visit www.southwestwater.co.uk/water-efficiency-tariff