Severn Trent has teamed up with legendary Midland's reggae band, Musical Youth, to raise awareness of how keeping showers short can help customers to save money on their utility bills. 

Data from Severn Trent and the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) shows that cutting a shower from 10 to five minutes could save a family of four using a water meter up to £700 a year on their utility bills.  

Musical Youth’s 1982 hit, Pass the Dutchie – which reached number 1 in seven countries - clocks in at just under five minutes, making it the ideal tune for customers to time their shower.  Pass the Dutchie takes prime position on a special Spotify playlist of five-minute belters, which has been compiled by Severn Trent for customers.  

The band also turned up in a Severn Trent TV advert throughout the autumn, appearing in a customer’s bathroom to provide a surprise shower-time serenade of Pass the Dutchie.

Dennis Seaton, Musical Youth, said: “Everyone could do with a little bit of support with their bills at the moment, and it’s fantastic that we can play a part in helping people save some money. Cutting back on how long we spend in the shower is a small step that can make a big difference and we’re really pleased to be a part of this campaign.”

Sophie Evans-Young, Water Efficiency Manager at Severn Trent, said: “It’s so easy to lose track of time in the shower, and we all love a sing-along so having a playlist of tunes that you can pop on in the morning can help people to keep their showers to five minutes while getting ready for the day ahead.

“Musical Youth are a Midlands institution and we’re really grateful for them taking the time to help us get the message out to our customers, especially as they’ve got a tour to prepare for!”

With ongoing pressures around the cost of living, Severn Trent and the Community Council for Water have estimated that a family of four on a water meter could save up to £1,300 a year on their utility bills by limiting their water use at home.

Sophie continued: “There are loads of really simple ways for people to save money by using less water at home, from checking to see if you have a leaky loo, to getting that dripping tap fixed, and making sure you only run the dishwasher and washing machine with a full load. 

“The best advice that we can give to our customers is, if possible, they should get a water meter fitted as this puts them in the driving seat and ensure that they only pay for what they use.  We can install a water meter absolutely free of charge, which could lead to customers seeing a saving almost straight away.”

For more detail on ways to save water and money around the home and to watch the advert, visit www.stwater.co.uk, and search saving water made simple.

To hear Severn Trent’s Spotify playlist, search Spotify for ultimate water saving playlist.