Farmers and landowners needed to help spot water leaks, says Severn Trent Water

4 March 2010

Severn Trent Water is asking Birmingham and Staffordshire farmers and landowners for their help in spotting and reporting water leaks this month (March).

Reporting of leaks across the region has dropped off since the last spell of Siberian-style weather, the coldest winter for 30 years, and the company is anxious to keep unnecessary water wastage to a minimum.

"When we asked people to help us by reporting leaks during the very wintery weather in January, we had a great response, but since the temperatures have returned to their seasonal ‘norm', we've see a drop-off in reports coming into us from the public," said Senior Operations Manager Fraser Pithie.

"We really need people to keep on their guard and let us know if they spot any leaks on their land. And with spring just around the corner, now is a great time to check animal water troughs and outdoor taps for signs of damage or leaks."

Leaks that go unnoticed can be costly for farmers and other landowners as well as inconvenient. – and unless people are vigilant, the first sign of a leakage problem could be a higher-than-usual water bill. "We don't want things to get that far," said Fraser. "Help us to help you, and carry out some checks now to make sure your land is leak-free.

"All it takes is a quick phone call to us – or if you prefer, you can report a leak on line. Either way, the sooner you spot a problem and report it to us, the quicker we can get things fixed."

Reporting leaks is simple and straightforward. You can call Severn Trent Water on 0800 783 4444, or report leaks on-line at www.stwater.co.uk. Just follow the ‘report a leak' link from the home page.