South East Water are appealing for people across our supply area to help find leaks both inside their homes, on business premises and out in streets and fields.

With the first winter cold snap due to come to an end this weekend, thawing snow and ice makes pipes susceptible to bursting which could cause damage, wasting water and money.

We are already seeing high demand for tap water which we believe could be due to leaking pipes or outside taps left on. We are also seeing an increase in the number of burst pipes on our network and we have repair teams out 24/7 fixing leaks and bursts, prioritising the most serious ones.

We are asking people in your community to look in their attics, airing cupboards, under their sinks and to check the taps out in their gardens to see if they have any unnoticed leaks which could be a trickle at the moment but later will cause major damage. If leaks are detected, they should turn off their water supply at the stop tap and call a Water Safe registered plumber.

Business owners are being asked to check their unoccupied premises and landlords any unoccupied homes as if there is a leak it could cause continued damage to their property as well as wasting valuable water supplies.

Those with outdoor troughs for horses and livestock should also check they are not running water to waste or have been damaged by the sub-zero conditions.

Taking these steps now, and throughout the weekend as the ice thaws, can make all the difference - and could save customers a bit of money if it’s found water is running to waste.

Our website has lots of tips on how to make homes winter ready and what to do if there’s a problem.

Water Safe Registered plumbers can be found at: www.watersafe.org.uk