Use water wisely in the home

Water is something we can’t live without but our increasing demand for water is putting a strain on our river systems and on the plants and animals that need them to survive. In some parts of the country, like the densely–populated south–east, there is less water available per person than much of Europe, the Sudan and Syria. Plus treating, pumping and heating our domestic water also requires a huge amount of energy.

We each use on average around 150 litres of water a day for cooking, cleaning, washing and drinking. A third of this water goes down the toilet.

By making a few small changes around the home you can help save water...

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  Take a shower instead of a bath. A five–minute shower uses about 40 litres of water – about half the volume of a standard bath – but power showers can use as much water as a bath. An aerated shower head can use 70% less water than a standard shower.
  
  

• Taps can use over 6 litres of water a minute so turn off the tap when you clean your teeth and put the plug in the basin when washing or shaving.
  
  

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  Ignore the washing up until you’ve got a bowlful. The same goes for washing fruit and vegetables. You can then use the waste water to water your plants.
  
  

• If you need a cold drink, don’t waste water by letting the tap run until the water gets really cold. Fill a bottle or jug, cover it, put it in the fridge and use it the same day for a cool and refreshing drink.
  
  

• Modern toilets use around six litres of water to flush but by installing a simple displacement device in an older cistern – sometimes supplied free from your water company – you can reduce the water you flush away. NEVER use a house brick as these can cause damage and block up the system when it disintegrates. Don’t ignore a constantly running cistern – that slow trickle can add up to a lot of wasted water.
  
  

• Get a water butt and use the rain collected to water your garden and wash your car.
  
  

• A dripping tap is not only annoying it also wastes at least 5,500 litres of water per year.

  
  

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  Save up laundry – a half load in a washing machine or dishwasher uses more than half of a full load’s energy and water.
  
  

• Gasping for a quick cup of tea? You’ll get one more quickly if you boil only as much water as you need and save energy.

  
  

• Check for leaks – look out for damp patches that don’t seem to dry up. Sometimes there is the telltale hiss of a cracked water pipe under floorboards or behind walls.

  
  

• Install a water meter. People with meters generally use 10–15% less water than those who don’t.
  
  

• Your local water company may also be able to help with other advice or offers. You’ll find lots of products to save water in your home at Waterwise.