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Blog Post 19 January 2021

Simple ways to save water at home

Water is a precious resource – but it can’t be taken for granted. Climate change, and the more extreme weather that comes with it, means that water supply is becoming more unpredictable as droughts become increasingly common, especially in the summer months.

In the UK, the average household currently uses around 330 litres of water a day – that’s 140 litres per head, every day. According to Waterwise, 85% of people don’t know how much we use per day on average. If they make a guess, they generally estimate between 50 and 100 litres per day – well below the actual figure.

If you want to get to grips with water consumption in your home, we’ve put together the following quick and easy ways to reduce the amount of water you use every day.

Quick ways to save water

  • 01

    Snub the tub

    If everybody in a family of four replaces one bath a week with a five-minute shower, up to £10 a year could be saved on gas bills and up to £10 on water bills (if you have a water meter).

  • 02

    Change your head

    Replacing your shower head with water efficient one could save a four-person household as much as £38 a year on gas for water heating, as well as a further £53 a year on water bills if they have a water meter*. That’s a total annual saving of around £91.

  • 03

    Shorten your shower

    Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter this could save a further £11 off annual water and sewerage bills.

  • 04

    Turn it off

    A running tap wastes more than five litres of water a minute, so turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face. Use cold water if you don’t need hot.

  • 05

    Don't be a drip

    A dripping tap can waste more than 5,300 litres of water a year, so make sure your taps are properly turned off and change washers promptly when taps start to drip.

  • 06

    Fill ’em up!

    Make sure that dishwashers and washing machines are full before you use them, and ensure you always use the most efficient water and energy settings. Wash at 30 degrees or use the ECO setting if your machine has one.

  • 07

    Suds' law

    Using a bowl to wash up rather than a running tap can save you money on your energy and water bills if you have a water meter. In fact, you only need to run a typical tap for 95 seconds to fill up a washing up bowl.

  • 08

    Careful with your cuppa

    When making a cup of tea or coffee, only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need. You’ll not only save water, but could also cut around £6 a year off your energy bill.

*Calculation is based on replacing a 9.82 litre/minute shower head with a 7.7 litre/minute water efficient shower head. Water efficient shower heads are incompatible with electric showers.

Further reading

Last updated: 8 January 2021