How to save money on your water bill

One of the easiest ways of saving money on your water bill is switching to a water meter. Most customers in England, Wales and Scotland have the right to have a water meter installed free of charge. It may seem like a hassle, but uSwitch.com does the first step for you - all you have to do is spend a few minutes entering your details onto the online water bill comparison service and we will do the rest. You might be surprised by how much you could save.

Of course, whether a meter can save you money on your water bill will depend on your circumstance and water usage. The average unmetered customer saves on average 5-10% on their water bill after installation of a meter (source: Ofwat).

If you want to save even more money on your water bill once your meter is installed, or you already have a meter, you can change your water habits and use water saving equipment to reduce your bill.

Even if you don't have a water meter and don't plan to have one installed, you can still do your bit for the environment and water consumption by installing water saving equipment and using efficiency measures.

• devices that are placed in your toilet cistern and can save up to three litres of water per flush, e.g. "Hippos" and "Save-a-Flush"
• adaptors for hoses
• flow restrictors that are fitted into existing basins and showers, such as "Tap Magic", which can reduce water wastage by up to 70% whilst still enabling you to have the normal full flow
• water saving showerheads that reduce water wastage by up to 70% (six and a half litres per minute compared with 18 to 40 for normal showerheads)
• water butts for your garden, essentially barrels that collect rain water to use for your garden instead of tap water. Several are available, some with devices to prevent overflowing

Cistern displacement devices can be ordered on uSwitch.com. Why not see how much they would reduce your water bill and order a water efficiency device on uSwitch.com?

Once you have a meter the easiest route to a cheaper water bill is to be more water efficient, which will not only save you money but is better for the environment too!

• fix dripping taps - they can waste as much as 90 litres of water a day!
• don't let the tap run while brushing your teeth - you will save almost five litres of water a minute
• before buying a new water appliance, like a dishwasher or washing machine, check for its water efficiency rating
• have a shower instead of a bath - they use a third of the water it takes to have a bath (*this excludes power showers, which use the same amount of water as a bath)
• avoid using hoses and sprinklers which can use up to 1,000 litres of water per hour - instead, collect rainwater in water butts and buckets, and then re-use it in the garden