How can I save water?

You can save significant amounts of water by changing your behaviour. Here are some tips for cutting your water usage. And if you switch to a meter, the less you use, the less you pay.

In the kitchen:

• washing the dishes – Fill the sink or a bowl with water, rather than using a running tap. (If you use a bucket, you can then use the water in the garden). If you use a dishwasher, only put it on when it’s full. A dishwasher uses 35 litres of water, whereas doing it by hand uses only six litres
• cooking – Wash your fruit and vegetables in a bowl, rather than under a running tap. And, try to use the minimum amount of water needed when you boil water in saucepans and kettles. This will save energy too
• laundry – Wait until you have a full load before doing your washing. Also, get a water efficient machine. A typical machine uses 80 litres per load, but a water efficient one uses 55 litres

• your toilet – Every time you flush, you could be using up to nine litres of clean water. Reduce this by placing a save-a-flush or hippo in the cistern
• your bath – Take a shower instead. A five minute standard shower uses about a third of the water of a bath
• your power shower – Switch to a standard shower. A power shower can use more water than a bath in less than five minutes
• brushing your teeth – Turn the tap off and you could save up to five litres a minute. According to the Environment Agency, if the entire adult population of England and Wales did this, we could save 180 mega litres a day, enough to supply nearly 500,000 houses
• shaving – Use a basin of water rather than a running tap to shave

The way we use water has a direct impact on the environment. The Environment Agency is urging people to use less water. In 2005, groundwater levels were lower than they have been for 20 years, affecting the wildlife that depends on rivers and wetlands - fish, birds and rare plants.

By using less, you can save money and lessen the impact of drought on our environment.