How to save water in your home
Water is one of the most valuable resources in the world. Water wastage can lead to large future shortages, and it is even more important now the clear effects of global warming have been established. It is estimated that the average person in the UK uses around 150 litres of water every day, and we can easily reduce our usage by up to one third without implementing any drastic lifestyle changes.
What can you do?
Monitoring and cutting back on your water usage by methods such as installing a water meter can help you use less water, use less energy, and ultimately result in a cheaper water bill. Saving water will also reduce the impact on your local environment as well as carbon dioxide emissions by using less energy to pump, heat and treat the water.
Below are some simple but useful water saving tips you can implement in your own home:
● By turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, you will instantly reduce your water use, and can save around 6 litres of water per minute.
● Having shorter showers and turning the hot water down reduces your water and energy use; showers can use anything between 6 and 45 litres per minute.
● Replace your sink taps with spray taps. These are easy to fit and reduce your water use overall.
● When using the toilet, either get a dual or low flush, or use a water displacement device to cut the water use.
● Be sure to fix dripping taps and make sure you know where your stopcock is in case of a water leak from a burst pipe. A dripping tap can waste 15 litres of water a day, or 5,500 litres of water a year.
● Try to have fewer baths, and reuse your bathwater on your garden or houseplants.
● Do your washes on a full load when using your washing machine and dishwasher, and you’ll cut your water use by doing fewer loads.
● Try not to overfill the kettle – only use as much water as you need.
What water saving products are there?
Smaller baths
A standard bath can hold around 140 litres, so even when it is less than half full it still uses a lot of water. If you are buying a new bath, look for one with a lower capacity. You could also substitute baths for showers, as it is more economical in the long term.
Resourceful showerheads
New showerheads that are water-efficient use technology that can produce water flows that feel far higher than they actually are, which is a sure fire way to save both water and energy. These are most noticeable when on power and mixer showers, with a high flow rate. Please note that you should not attach a low flow showerhead to an electric shower, as this could cause damage.
Water-efficient electrical goods
If you are in need of replacing either your washing machine or dishwasher, look out for products with the new Water Efficient Product Label and/or the Waterwise Recommended Checkmark as these can help you to save water, energy and money.
Taps with a low flow
Taps with a low flow rate can be fitted to kitchen and bathroom sinks. Click point taps are better for kitchen sink taps, and aerated/regulated flow taps are more suitable for a bathroom sink; but all work very well.
Ultimately, why does saving water matter?
Although water currently is not in short supply in the UK, using less water means you reduce your energy use, and save money – a blessing to both the environment and your bank account.