28/01/2008

Wheels have been put in motion for people across the region to spot a van and win a prize package worth hundreds of pounds.

Northumbrian Water’s new fleet of 55 vans, which can be spotted from Berwick down to North Yorkshire, and across to the Pennines, has been re-branded as part of a drive to highlight the excellent quality of North East tap water.

The vans show a picture of 32 year old employee and mum-to-be, Joanne Robertson, clutching a glass of tap water, accompanied by the slogan: ‘Clearly thirst class! Top quality water – I’ll drink to that!”

Observant customers who spot one of the vans have the chance to have their domestic water and sewerage bill paid for a year up to the value of £400, and will also win an energy efficient white good of their choice by sending a picture of a newly-branded van to Northumbrian Water by midnight on Friday, February 8 2008.

Customers should get into gear and send pictures by text to 0778 620 3460, by email to
competition@clearlythirstclass.com, or by post to Spot the Van competition, Northumbrian Water, Abbey Road, Pity Me, Durham, DH1 5FJ. A winner will be drawn at random on Monday, February 11 2008.

Entrants should include their name, contact number and the date and location they spotted the
 ‘Clearly thirst class’ van. The van’s registration number must be visible in the picture or included with the entry. Customers should be prepared for spotting a winning van by entering the text number into their mobile phone.

Leanne Clough, Communications Advisor at Northumbrian Water said: “The competition is a fun way to remind customers of the exceptional value, quality and health benefits of tap water in the North East. Most people will have made a New Year’s resolution to adopt a healthier lifestyle in 2008. An easy start is to drink at least eight glasses of tap water a day. Water helps every cell in our bodies stay healthy and is calorie and cholesterol free. What’s more, it’s easily available straight from the tap and at around 1p for fifty glasses, it is excellent value for money. Good luck, and get snapping and drinking!”

The North East has among the best quality tap water in the country, with 99.9% of tens of thousands of water quality samples meeting strict standards set by the Government Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), higher than the national average.

Full competition terms and conditions can be found at www.nwl.co.uk. Winners will be notified by telephone one week after the competition closing date.

For further information please contact Leanne Clough on 0191 301 6733.

Tip top tap health facts:

• On a cool day our bodies lose up to two litres of water (eight glasses) which is lost through our skin when we sweat, from our kidneys as urine, and also with every breath. Exercise also dramatically increases water loss. It is vital that this water is replaced.

• Not getting enough water can result in dehydration, lethargy, headaches and constipation.

• Increasing water intake to eight glasses a day alongside eating five a day fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and cancer by up to 20%.

• Just a 2% loss of body water can result in a 10% drop in physical and mental performance.

• Water is great for flushing out toxins from the body, particularly from the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract.

• Women have around seven litres of water locked up in their skin, men a bit more. Drinking plenty of water helps tone up the skin, giving it vibrancy and colour. Dehydration makes your skin look older than it is!

• Over 200,000 tests are carried out each year on Northumbrian Water’s supply to ensure water is always safe to drink. The pass rate, checked by the Government’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), currently stands at 99.9%, higher than the national average.