Tips - inside your home

You can monitor your water use, and potentially reduce waste and save money, by having a meter fitted free of charge.

If you use a sprinkler or unattended hosepipe then you should have a meter fitted. A garden hose or sprinkler can use almost as much water in an hour as an average family of four uses in a day.

In the bathroom

How much water does a power shower use?
Power showers use twice as much as an ordinary shower. Don't forget a 4 minute shower is usually all you need for a good wash. Anymore and it is really a waste of water.

Do baths use less water than showers?
No, a bath uses much more than a shower.

A full bath uses up to 80 litres of water whereas a 5-minute normal shower uses about 35 litres, saving 45 litres of water.
A 5-minute power shower uses about 60 litres, which still saves 20 litres of water when compared to a full bath.

Fix dripping taps

A dripping tap can waste enough water in a day to fill a bath.

Save water when you flush the toilet

You can reduce the amount of water used when flushing by fitting a Hippo or Save-a-Flush device depending on the capacity of your cistern (we give you advice on this in our request a free water saving device order page). However, when used in more modern toilets the Hippo device may give rise to a need for double-flushing, so should be removed and avoided.

Brushing teeth the water efficient way

Remember to turn off the tap whilst you are actually brushing. This could save about 3.5 litres each time you brush your teeth.
By using a glass to hold a small amount of water for rinsing your mouth you can save about 4 litres of water each time you brush your teeth.

Water efficient hand and face washing

Remembering to put the plug in your wash basin can save about 2 litres of water each time you wash your hands and / or face.

In the kitchen and laundry

Washing machines and dishwashers

When buying new machines choose water efficient models. You may also save on energy costs, as they are likely to be more energy efficient. It is better to wait until you have a full load before switching on, as one full load of the washing machine generally uses less water than two half-loads. The most recent models of dishwasher are also the most efficient. Remember, if you swill off the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher this will add to the total water you use.

Washing up by hand

Use a bowl when washing up instead of a running tap. You can save about 5 litres of water per wash in this way.
If possible, wait until you have enough dirty dishes etc. to fill your bowl.

Preparing food

Use a bowl when preparing your vegetables instead of a running tap. You can save about 5 litres of water each time.
Why not recycle this water for use in the garden?

Waste disposal units

Waste disposal units use a lot of water to wash away food waste. You can make better use of this waste, and save lots of water at the same time, by putting your fruit and vegetable peelings on a compost heap.

Drinking water

Running a tap until the water is cold wastes about 4 litres each time. Why not keep a jug of water in the fridge or collect this water and use it for something else, e.g. houseplant and garden watering, or washing up?
When boiling water in your kettle, only fill the kettle with the water you need, ensuring the element is fully covered.

Grey water

What is grey water?
This is water that has been used before and is used to supplement toilet flushing. The grey water is usually from baths or showers and is filtered and stored ready for reuse. Grey water recycling systems can now be purchased from many outlets such as DIY stores.

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Water use in your home