Free water bowsers offered to Shropshire's livestock farmers

Severn Trent is offering free mobile water bowsers to livestock farmers across Shropshire, as part of a new initiative to help manage water demand. A water bowser is a water tank that can also be fitted with a trailer.

It comes as the country experiences the driest March in 60 years, the sunniest April on record, followed by more extremely warm and dry weather this month.

Kevin Hatch, from Severn Trent’s Network Operations, says a total of 700 ‘bowsers’ will be made available to farmers across its region, with priority given to those with livestock, particularly dairy farms, to help them store enough water and support animal welfare during potential hot weather periods.

“Our aim is to get the 1,100-litre bowsers to the farmers who need them most, providing dependable, on-farm water storage to help maintain supply for livestock during dry spells or for water emergencies,” he explains.

“Our teams will work closely with farmers to understand their water needs and arrange collections from agreed pick-up points, so the bowsers can be efficiently distributed to where they’ll make the greatest difference.”

Originally used as part of Severn Trent’s emergency fleet, the bowsers are being redistributed as the company upgrades to equipment with almost 12 times greater storage capacity.

Mr Hatch says: “The bowsers we’re giving away are in excellent condition, having been dry stored and rarely used, and will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis across our priority areas to farms that meet the criteria.

“They’re fitted with forklift-accessible cages to make them easy to transport and will be cleaned and labelled before distribution.

“While provided empty, the bowsers are ready to fill and use for non-potable purposes – offering a practical solution to help farmers manage peak water demands or low availability. It also helps livestock farms, who must ensure that they have at least 24 hours of water storage for their animals, which is vitally important as we had the driest spring on record.”

The bowser giveaway initiative aims to strengthen on-farm water resilience while supporting Severn Trent’s broader environmental goals to protect water quality and reduce pressure on mains supplies.

During the dry spells of 2018 and 2022, many farmers reached out to Severn Trent for help when water supplies ran low. This shows the importance of having adequate water storage in place to keep livestock safe and healthy during dry periods.

Mr Hatch adds: “Shropshire has a particularly high number of livestock farms and is especially vulnerable to dry conditions, which is why the region is the first focus for the giveaway scheme.”

Severn Trent will be expanding the initiative to cover other areas in its region, including Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, and Herefordshire.

How to apply

Livestock farmers in Shropshire should register their interest by sending an email to EnvEngagement@severntrent.co.uk by June 6th, 2025.

To be eligible for a bowser you must farm within the Severn Trent catchment and have either a dairy farm, hatcheries, poultry sheds, or beef and pig farms to qualify. You’ll be asked to provide farm information, including the full address, herd or flock size, as well as information regarding any previous water supply issues.

Once approved, farmers will receive a date and time slot to collect their bowser from a local designated Severn Trent site.