How much water do you think you use on a typical day? According to CCW UK, in 2021-2022, the average person in the UK uses around 145 litres of water per day through household chores, showering and gardening.
Making small changes to conserve water in your home can help to reduce your water bills as well as have a positive impact on the environment. Here are our top 6 water saving ideas:
- Short showers are the new long baths
- Turn that tap off!
- Wash full loads of clothes and dishes
- Check for leaks and get them repaired
- Ask your local water board for a free water meter fitting
- Switch your shower head to a low flow or “water saving”
Short showers are the new long baths
Switching to showers is great way to save water – a full bath can use about 80 litres of water per full tub, whereas a shower can use considerably less. Try keeping your showers to 4 minutes long or less to conserve water more efficiently. Need some help timing yourself? Check out Yorkshire Water’s 4-Minute shower playlist on Spotify, or find your own shower songs on your preferred music app or YouTube.
Turn that tap off!
Running taps produce as much as 6 litres of water a minute, so turning the tap off while you’re not using it saves unnecessary water waste. You could also consider filling a small bowl with water when doing your personal care routine, rather than using a running tap for a more efficient water saving habit.
Wash full loads of clothes and dishes
Ensuring you only wash full loads of clothes or dishes in your appliances will mean that you’ll use your washing machine or dishwasher less often. Cutting down just one cycle of your washing machine can conserve around 10 litres of water, and 15 litres for a dishwasher.
Check for leaks and get them repaired
According to Ofwat – the regulators of the water sector in England and Wales – in 2020-2021, about 51 litres of water was leaked per person per day. Get your house checked by a plumber for any hidden leaks, and fix any issues so you don’t pay more than you need to. You can also buy a personal water detection device to check yourself.
Ask your local water board for a free water meter fitting
Fitting a water meter in your home means that you’ll only be charged for the water you actually use, rather than a fixed rate. With a water meter fitted, you will be able to track your water consumption, use some of our tips to conserve water and save money on your bills. Fittings are sometimes offered for free, so check your options with your water company.
Switch your shower head to a low flow or 'water saving'
It’s not just changing from baths to showers that can help save water, but you can boost your water saving power by switching to a water-saving shower head. They can reduce the water you use when showering by up to 50% while maintaining high pressure.
There are two different types of water saving shower heads:
-
Non-aerating shower heads
Restrict the water flow by having smaller holes, restricting the amount of water that can pass through while maintaining high pressure.
-
Aerating shower heads
Mixes the restricted flow of water with air so the water appears to come out of the showerhead at higher pressure and volume.
Before making the switch, check your current shower connections and make sure you are buying the right one to suit your bathroom.
Saving water around the home helps benefit the environment – and your wallet! Now that you know some easy water saving tips for your everyday routine, check out some of our other useful tips and guides. And if you’re not already a customer, check out AXA home insurance to get a quote today.
