Every drop counts
Making small changes to reduce our water usage can make a massive impact on our pocket and environment.
Baths and showers
- Take short showers instead of baths. A warm bath is a nice luxury but, for daily bathing stick with a short shower
- A long, hot shower – especially a power shower - may use more hot water than a bath
- Purchasing an energy efficient or eco shower head can save water and save you £75 a year on energy costs
- Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save around £10 on your energy spend each year
- And if you can stand it, you might even try turning off the water while soaping up, shampooing, or shaving
Taps
- A dripping tap wastes more than 5,500 litres of water a year. Fixing a dripping tap would save you up to £5.50 a year
- Do you leave the tap running while brushing your teeth? We estimate that you can save anything between £40-£60 a year by turning the tap off while you brush
- Tap aerators limit the amount of water being used without losing any pressure. You can find these for around £5 or you may be able to get them free from your water company
- How many times have you run the tap, testing it continuously with your finger until it was the right temperature? We waste a lot of water waiting for it to be “just right”. By insulating exposed water pipes, you can help the water stay warmer as it travels to your taps, which means it takes less time to heat up
- You can use pop-on insulating foam sleeves specifically designed for your pipes. They can be found at local hardware stores and are a worthwhile investment that will save you both water and money
Toilets
- Use the half flush facility on the toilet, if available; this will reduce the amount of water used when flushing your toilet
- Water displacement bags (sometimes called hippos) sit neatly in the cistern of your toilet and save you water and money every time you flush the toilet. These may also be available free from your water company
Drinking water
- When you’re boiling the kettle, only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you're using an electric kettle)
- In need of a drink? Keep a jug of water in the fridge so you don't need to keep re-using the tap