Water is becoming more precious than ever. Increases in population, changing lifestyles, pollution and shifts in weather patterns all place increasing demands on the fresh water that we have at our disposal.

In Jersey, an island with limited underground reserves of water and no links to external water networks, we rely on rainfall for most of the mains water supplied. The supply of water in the island is therefore vulnerable to periods of low rainfall or drought.

Annual Rainfall (mm)
(Please click graph for larger view)

With climate change we are experiencing an alteration in the patterns of rainfall. This can place an increased strain on water resources when rainfall and weather patterns are less predictable.

Comparison of average rainfall
(Please click graph for larger view)

Increased water efficiency helps to reduce the significant amount of water that is wasted every day - literally poured down the sink.

Reducing waste helps to keep your water bill down too, as we have to spend less money storing, treating and pumping water to your tap. It also means that when there is a drought the water that we have in the reservoirs will last longer.

The Company has an extensive program of waste reduction in place including a team of inspectors whose task it is to find leaks on our the system so that they can be repaired. We also have a program of mains renewals which aims to replace up to 2.5 km of old mains each year - reducing the number of leaks and the risks of burst mains.

As a customer you too can do your bit to reduce the amount of water that is wasted, whether it is in the home, the garden, at work or at school - many of the changes in routine are small and will hardly be noticed. Together they add up to significant overall savings.

Use water wisely
To view or download our leaflets on saving water click on the relevant using water wisely link below:

In the home (click here) (149k)	In the garden (click here) (165k)	At work (click here) (102k)	At school (click here) (119k)

Hosepipes, sprinklers, swimming pools
In our efforts to encourage the wise use of mains water in the Island, the Company’s terms and conditions of supply (click here) require customers who use a hosepipe, supplied from mains water which is not charged on a metered basis, to pay an annual hosepipe charge.

The charge goes toward the cost of providing water for non-essential purposes (e.g. car washing, garden watering, boat cleaning, etc). If you use a hosepipe, supplied from mains water, you are respectfully requested to contact the Customer Accounts Department (click here) so that your account can be updated.

The hosepipe charge is normally charged to customer accounts annually in March. In the event of a restriction on hosepipe use, the Company will reimburse customers pro-rata, based upon the period of restriction, calculated to the nearest day. Please see the schedule of tariffs and charges (click here) for details of the current hosepipe charge.

The payment of a hosepipe charge does not authorise the use of sprinklers, automated watering or irrigation systems or unattended hoses. Where premises have a swimming pool, automated garden watering system (e.g. sprinklers, etc) or use hoses on an unattended basis all services supplying that premises are required to be charged for on a measured basis (by way of water meter). To advise the Company of your use of any of the above items please contact the Customer Accounts Department (click here). To apply for a meter please (click here).

Waterwise – Reducing water wastage in the UK
Waterwise is an independent, not for profit organisation focused on decreasing water consumption in the UK by 2010 and building the evidence base for large scale water efficiency. They are the leading authority on water efficiency in the UK. For more information visit waterwise.org.uk