Save water

By using less water, you can save money on your bills while also helping the environment. Also, using less water can help you save money on your water bill if you have a water meter. Reducing hot water usage can also significantly lower your energy bill.

Saving water benefits the environment as it reduces the carbon footprint associated with treating and transporting water. Additionally, it ensures more water is available for our rivers and streams during dry spells, which supports local wildlife.

Why save water?

Despite England’s varied climate, the country can still experience water shortages. Rain can quickly replenish rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, but water levels can drop swiftly during dry periods.

In reality, less than 1% of rainfall is accessible to water suppliers. England can face water shortages during extended dry spells. For instance, some parts of the country have experienced periods with almost no rainfall, leading to increased water demand and significant strain on water resources. With climate change, such dry periods are expected to become more frequent. Therefore, water authorities are encouraging customers to conserve water to protect future supplies and maintain the natural environment.

Your water use

On average, each person in England uses about 150 liters of water daily without much thought, yet a significant amount of energy is required to produce drinking water.

Water suppliers are among the largest electricity users, as they collect, treat, and pump drinking water to homes and treat wastewater before returning it to the environment. We then use more energy heating it up in our daily lives, which produces carbon dioxide (CO2).

In the UK, water use accounts for 6% of carbon emissions – this is the same as the aviation industry. 1% of this comes from collecting, treating, and pumping water to your home and treating the wastewater before returning it to the environment. The remaining 5% is from the energy used to heat water in the home.

Around one-fifth of the average household’s heating bills are spent on heating water, so saving water not only helps protect the planet but can also help keep your energy bills down.

Simple steps to save water and energy

In the bathroom

• Showers and baths: Showers and baths use the most water in the home (30%). Reducing your shower time by 2 minutes can save over 5,000 liters of water and £130 off your energy bill each year.

• Brushing teeth: Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save 5 liters of water a minute.

• Dripping taps: A dripping tap can waste over 5,500 liters of water a year, so ensure taps are turned off properly or replace the washer.

• Leaking toilets: A leaking toilet can waste between 215 and 400 liters of water daily. Fix any leaks as soon as possible to save water.

In the kitchen

• Kettle: Only fill the kettle with the water you need to save energy and time.

• Dishwashing: Use a basin or bowl to wash dishes instead of running the tap. If using a dishwasher, wait for a full load and use the eco setting to save water and energy.

• Washing machine: Fully load your washing machine and use the eco setting where possible. Washing clothes at 30 degrees rather than 40 degrees reduces your machine’s energy consumption by 57%.

Outside

• Washing the car: Use a bucket and sponge instead of a hosepipe to wash the car to save water.

• Watering plants: Use a watering can instead of a hose. A hose can waste 1,000 liters of water an hour. Alternatively, fit your hosepipe with a trigger nozzle so it only runs when needed.

• Water butt: Collect rainwater in a water butt. Rainwater is better for plants as it contains nitrogen, which helps them thrive. A small roof collects over 45,000 liters of water each year, enough to keep your water butt topped up.

Additional tips

• Showering: Showers make up 40% of the average household’s daily water usage. Reducing your shower time by one minute can save a family of four around £150 a year.

• Bathing: Lowering the level of your bath by a couple of centimeters can save around five liters of water. Bath water can be reused in the garden or on houseplants.

• Toilets: Only flush when necessary to save around five liters of water per flush.

• Taps: Fix leaking taps promptly. A running tap can use up to nine liters of water a minute.

• Dishwashing: Newer dishwasher models use less than 12 liters per cycle. If washing by hand, fill a washing-up bowl rather than letting the tap run.

• Washing clothes: Use your machine’s eco setting and wait for a full load to reduce the number of washes.

• Food preparation: Only use the amount of water you need when filling kettles or saucepans. Reuse water from washing vegetables for plants.

Garden tips

• Water-efficient garden: Plant drought-tolerant plants like lavender, geranium, and rosemary to reduce water usage.

• Soil care: Add organic matter to increase the soil’s water-holding capacity and apply mulch to retain moisture.

• Planting time: Plant during autumn to reduce the need for watering.

• Watering: Collect rainwater using a water butt and water plants thoroughly once a week. Use a watering can to reduce water waste.

• Lawn care: Let your lawn go brown during summer and let it grow a little longer to retain moisture.

• Water the roots: Water plants at the roots to ensure they get all the water they need.

• Check the weather: Avoid watering if rain is forecast and water plants in the early morning or evening to prevent evaporation.

Outdoor fun

• Fun in the garden: Cover paddling pools when not in use, reuse paddling pool water on plants, fill pools with less water, and use water guns instead of hosepipes for water fights.

By following these tips, you can make a significant impact on your water usage, save money on your bills, and contribute to a more sustainable environment. If you think you may have a water supply pipe leak, you can see our water leaks guide.

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