JERSEY Water is asking Islanders to make “small but vital” changes to their daily routines amid concerns over declining reservoir levels.
In a statement released yesterday, the utility company said that the Island’s total water storage stood at just 57% capacity and was “falling quickly”.
It noted that levels had dropped by 5% – the equivalent of 117 million litres of water – in the last two weeks alone.
“With rainfall levels 30% lower than last year and 20% below the five-year average, Jersey Water is once again asking Islanders to make small but vital changes to their daily routines to save water,” the statement explained.
“Although the rain so far this week has been welcome, a lot more is needed to recover reservoir storage levels, after one of the driest springs on record, a long hot summer and below average rainfall so far this autumn.”
It is not the first time this year that Jersey Water has issued such a warning, having reminded customers to cut back on their usage when the desalination plant was started up in the summer.
The plant has run for two months – from the end of July to the end of September – boosting water supplies by more than 200 million litres.
Longer-term seasonal forecasts suggest rainfall could return to more average levels in the
coming months.
Mark Bowden, the utility company’s head of water resilience and emergency planning, said: “We rely on the autumn and winter months to replenish our stocks. After such a dry spring and summer, if we don’t get sufficient rain before the end of the year, it could put us in a really difficult position going into 2026.
“While we’ve had some rain, there is still a long way to go before the reservoirs recover.”
Mr Bowden continued: “Over the summer, we asked customers to make small changes to how they use water. Those changes meant that our resources have lasted longer and we haven’t needed to introduce any restrictions.
“We really want that to continue, and we thank everyone for their actions, as those
small changes have made a big difference.
“Once again, we are asking people to reduce their usage as much possible to help preserve our Island’s supply.”
Jersey Water is also asking Islanders to support ‘Water Night’ tomorrow.
The annual event, run as part of a campaign by UK water efficiency experts Waterwise, asks households and businesses to join a symbolic ‘water pause’ by turning off taps between 5pm and 10pm.
Gorey Castle, Fort Regent and the Town Hall will be lit up in blue to mark the occasion – which is intended to encourage awareness about water-usage – along with other iconic buildings across the British Isles, to help show support for the campaign.
Mr Bowden added: “Water Night is an opportunity for us all to stop and think about where we can cut back on waste.
“We understand that not everyone can turn off the taps between 5 and 10pm, but the real message is about being conscious of how we use this precious resource.”
He stressed that every action, from taking shorter showers to fixing a dripping tap, “helps protect our supplies”.
“It’s our water and our responsibility.
“By coming together as a community, we can all play our part in protecting Jersey’s water supply.”
