We all want to save water. But what are the best ways to cut down on water usage at home?
In this article, we highlight some easy ways to save water around the house. These range from simple tricks, such as turning off the bathroom tap while brushing your teeth, to investing in the future, such as installing a garden water butt.
Using less water is not only good for the environment – it’ll save you money. Here’s nine ways to use water more responsibly while reducing your water and gas bills…
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Eliminate baths and reduce showering time
Running a hot bath is bad news not only for your water bill, but your gas bill, too. By cutting out weekly baths, a family four will save up to £20 each year on gas and water bills. This is based on the cost of each person taking a five-minute shower instead of a bath.
The reason is water volume: a five-minute shower uses around 40L of water, compared with 80L for a typical bath. With or without a water meter, using less water saves money in the long run.
And that’s not the end of it. You can save even more on bills by reducing your daily showering time by one minute. This amounts to £8 less on energy bills per person, per year, and another £11 if you have a water meter.
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Fill up your appliances before washing
Dishwashers and washing machines are water-hungry by design. As such, it’s sensible to wait until you can fill them up before running a wash. You should also replace any old appliances with modern, energy- and water-efficient machines.
Virtually all new washing machines and dishwashers come with an “ECO” setting, which uses less water than a typical cycle. To save on water and energy bills, always wash at 30⁰C and use the most efficient settings.
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Be strict with tap usage
Ask yourself: do I really need a running tap when doing the washing up? Instead, save water by using a bowl in the sink to clean dirty dishes and wash fruit and vegetables. As a bonus, you can use the leftover water to water your plants. It’s a win-win.
The same goes when brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face. In the average bathroom, a running tap uses between five and nine litres of water a minute. This adds up to higher water bills in the long run.
Interestingly, studies show that, in hotter and drier parts of the world, people are more likely to turn off the tap when brushing their teeth. Don’t let living in wet and windy Britain be an excuse!
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Fix those drips
One dripping tap can waste up to 5,500 litres of water a year. That’s enough to fill 69 standard sized bathtubs. So be sure to check your property regularly for any leaks in your internal plumbing. When a tap starts to drip, either call in a plumber of change the washer yourself.
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Switch to a more efficient shower head
Shower water usage can vary widely depending on the type of shower head. For maximum efficiency, we suggest installing an aerated shower head. It works by combining water and air, using less water while keeping a steady pressure.
For a four-person household, an aerated shower head could save you £91 on gas and metered water bills alone.
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Keep chilled water in the fridge
In the long run, those extra few seconds waiting for the cold tap to turn ice cold can cost you. Instead, keep your drinking water in a filtered jug in your fridge.
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Fit your toilet cistern with a water saving device
Toilets are another water-guzzler in the house. But you don’t have to replace the entire toilet to achieve a more efficient flush. Instead, simply place a cistern place a cistern displacement device in your toilet cistern. These are available from most water providers.
How much water you’ll save depends on the size of the toilet. For large toilets, a cistern displacement device could save up to three litres on each flush.
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Collect rainwater in a water butt or harvesting system
Rainwater harvesting is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to save water in your household. Showering, washing, and gardening can all be taken care of by repurposed rainwater.
Start by installing a simple water butt in your garden. Larger water butts can hold up to 2,000L of water – enough to water your whole garden many times over. Ambitious homeowners should invest in a full rainwater harvesting system, which will dramatically reduce your water bills.
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Be smart with garden watering
Here’s three gardening tips that will save you water. First, use a watering can. This method wastes far less water than sprinklers and hosepipes, which, when left running, can blow through up to 1,000L an hour.
Second, try to water your plants in the early morning or late afternoon. The higher the sun, the more likely water will evaporate.
Finally, use mulch to trap water in flower beds. By laying compost, straw, and bark chippings around your bedding, the ground water will not evaporate until much later.