How to save water at home

Water is one of our most precious resources – but we can no longer take it for granted. Increased demand in how much water we use, combined with shifts in population, new house building programmes and climate change mean many parts of the nation could run out of sustainable water supplies in the near future - unless we stop wasting water.

Climate change threatens increasing extremes between dry periods and floods. Unless we do something, we will all face further restrictive measures, price rises, damage to our natural water environment – and impact on future generations of water users.

But in reality, rethinking our water habits is not as daunting as it may seem. For example, turning the taps off when you brush your teeth can save up to five litres a minute. If the entire adult population of England and Wales did this, we could save a total of 180 mega litres a day, enough to supply nearly 500,000 houses.

If you start thinking about the water you use, you can help protect the environment, put pressure on the government and water industry to be more water efficient and save yourself money in the process. What’s more, you have the peace of mind knowing that you’re not wasting the world’s most precious resource, and are prepared for any future restrictions that might occur. By using our water calculator, you can find out how much you could save by switching to a meter or, if you already have a meter, how much you could save by using water efficiency measures.

Reducing your water use will at first mean having to rethink your lifestyle. As a start, you might like to have a look at our comprehensive list of tips for everyday water efficiency in your home and garden, Water efficiency tips. You’ll could also decide which water saving devices and appliances you can afford and integrate in your lifestyle – in short, creating a water efficient home and garden. Here is a checklist for a wetter – and better - future.

Here are a list of longer term changes that will significantly affect your water consumption:

• get water and energy efficient dishwashers and washing machines. The energy label will also contain the water consumption information
• plan a low water garden, through careful selection of plants and where they are positioned. See water efficiency tips for more information.
• use rainwater for garden watering and washing machines. This can save up to 50% of household water use (according to the Environment Agency)
• spray taps on hand basins save up to 80% of the water
• dual flush and low-flush toilets can cut household water by up to 20%, and save more than half the water used in flushing toilets
• plan your building’s plumbing system so that both water and energy savings can be made

For further advice on becoming water efficient, contact Waterwise or speak to your local water supplier who will be happy to help.

If you reuse your greywater – waste water from sinks and baths - you could save up to 18,000 litres of water a year for each person. This represents 33% of daily household water use. The reduction in sewage volume is an important advantage of greywater systems, especially for households with cesspools or septic tanks and poor drainage. For those who pay for mains drainage, a reduction in sewerage charges may be negotiable with their sewerage authority. See the Environment Agency website for a list of suggestions on how to reuse greywater safely. They can also tell you about ways to reduce your water use by recycling rainwater. The most straightforward way to save and reuse your rainwater is through the use of a water butt.