World Cup Host City Encouraged To Save Water For Fans, Told To Shower In Pairs

One of the upsides to hosting the World Cup is the hordes of international tourists and their bulging wallets that will inevitably descend on a city. One of the downsides is those tourists' desires to wash off the sweat-stress of watching their favorite teams compete in the tournament in the sweltering heat.

At least, it's become a problem in the Russian city of Samara where the public utility company is urging local residents to forgo solo clean-up sessions in favor of couple-showering to save water for visiting fans, The Moscow Times reported.

"Thousands of the city's visitors, who also consume water, are contributing to the increase," Samara Communal Systems wrote in a press release on Wednesday the newspaper reported.

Authorities explained that they have ramped-up the water supply by 10 percent as a result of the recent rush of fans and an ongoing heatwave, according The Associated Press.

The surge has also caused the water pressure to drop in some neighborhoods.

In an effort to provide a constructive solution, the company encouraged residents to save water by taking showers in pairs, adding a cheeky smiley face to the end of the message.

The press release was issued in advance of another wave of World Cup fans expected to flood the city on Saturday when England faces Sweden in the quarterfinals.

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