Saving water in our homes is essential if we want to preserve a healthy and sustainable freshwater environment.

Excessive use of water, coupled with climate change, is damaging the ecosystems in our rivers and lakes. Only 15% of the total length of the UK’s rivers has a vibrant ecosystem – in the past 30 years, freshwater species have declined by almost a third.

A big cause of damage in the home is from leaks which can result in damage to floors, electrics, home furnishings and even the structure. Through simple measures such as leak prevention monitors and smart metering, water can be saved and losses for customers reduced.

The WWF/RSA partnership is researching how we can save water at home.

In 2008, WWF-UK launched its ‘How Low?’ report on how we should go about achieving an 80% reduction in carbon emissions from British homes. We now aim to produce a similar report on saving water and looking into how much water is lost through leaks annually in the UK.

The report will suggest a range of ways we can waste less water, from practical measures to policy interventions by the government. It will set out achievable aims for reducing water use, suggesting targets and actions up until 2050.

Today, each of us uses an average of 159 litres of water per day in our homes. Under the Code for Sustainable Homes, builders must install measures in new homes to reduce water use to 120 litres per person per day. Our research will look at how we can bring water use in existing homes down to this level, and the costs of doing this.

The project will also research ways to effectively manage water use and prevent losses in the home for the environment and customers.