Here are some facts from the Energy Saving Trust:
330 litres a day
Each household in the UK uses on average around 330 litres each day.
20% of heating bill
About 20% of a typical gas heated household’s heating bill is from heating the water for showers, baths and hot water from the tap –
£135 a year
This costs on average around £135 a year.
Water Meter
If you don’t have a water meter installed already, check it out – call United Utilities for information. You could very well pay less for your water bill.
Here’s what Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, says: “If there are more bedrooms in your house than people, or the same number, check out getting a meter.”
Store and Use Rainwater
For watering your garden, get a water butt to collect from your down-pipes.
Increasingly, due to global warming, we get long dry spells of weather.
If you’ve collected a barrel-full, you can protect your plants and veg from dying.
And most gardeners think plants like rain-water better then tap water anyway.
And you don’t pay for the water!
We’ve also heard some people save and store water for flushing toilets. Do you know anything about how this works? How useful it is?
Low Water-Usage Plumbing/Equipment
These days, a lot of equipment is designed so that it’s more economical on water.
There are low-flow taps, low-flow showers, and dual-flush toilets.
So if you’re changing your kitchen or bathroom, it would be sensible to look at these as possibilities – you could save water AND money.
Appliances: some clothes washing machines and dish washing machines are designed to use less water. Ask the sales people for the average water consumption per wash cycle.
(And while you’re buying, don’t forget to ask how energy-efficient it is – that’s more important. Look for the machine to be A+++ rated)
Here are some more facts about being water-efficient, from the Energy Saving Trust…
Snub the tub
If everybody in a 4-person household replaces 1 bath a week with a 5-minute shower, up to £20 a year could be saved on gas bills and up to £25 a year on water bills (if you have a water meter).
Change your head
If a 4-person household replaces an inefficient shower head with a water efficient one, they could save around £70 a year off gas bills and around £115 a year off water bills (if they have a water meter). A total saving of around £185 a year.
Turn it off
A running tap wastes more than 6 litres of water every minute, so turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.
Don’t be a drip
A dripping tap can waste more than 5,300 litres of water a year, so make sure your taps are properly turned off and change washers promptly when taps start to drip.
Make it go further
Try to avoid wasting water from running taps while waiting for hot water. Always use cold water if you don’t need hot.
Fill ’em up!
Make sure that dishwashers and washing machines are full before you use them, and ensure you always use the most efficient water and energy settings.
Suds law
Using a washing up bowl to wash up plates or cutlery twice a day rather than having the hot tap running could save around £25 a year on your gas bill and about £30 a year on your water bill (if you have a water meter). If you need to rinse utensils or wash vegetables, use cold water if possible and don’t leave the tap running.
