Top Water Saving Tips

Here are our top tips to get you on your way to reducing your water usage by around 20 litres a day, saving you almost £14.60 a year.

1. Take a shower instead of a bath, it seems obvious but did you know that a 5-minute shower uses a third less water than a bath.
2. Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 2,800 litres a month.
3. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 568 litres per month.
4. If you turn off the water while you wash your hair you could save up to 568 litres of water a month.
5. When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
6. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing your face/hands or shaving. The easiest of them all, this takes zero effort!
7. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
8. If you do have to run a bath put the plug in before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the bath fills up.
9. If you have a dishwasher, use it! An efficient dishwasher can use as little as 10% of the water needed to wash-up in the sink.
10. If you don’t have a dishwasher, instead of running the hot tap for a while until the water heats up, boil a kettle instead.
11. Only run your washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load. This will reduce your water and energy consumption.
12. When you boil the kettle only fill it with the amount of water you need, this saves energy as well as water.
13. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
14. Collect the water you use for rinsing fruits and vegetables, simply reuse it to water houseplants or your plants in the garden.
15. Think before throwing used water down the drain. Water in a pan after cooking could be reused for watering plants around the house or garden, when cooled down.
16. Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
17. Fix any dripping taps – one dripping tap can waste 5,000 litres of water in a year.
18. Put food colouring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 13785 litres a month.
19. Fit a water saving device in your toilet cistern and save up to 3 litres a flush.
20. Consider flushing your toilet only when you really need too – "if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down".
21. In this hot weather keep bottles or jugs of water in the fridge so you don’t need to run the tap to get cold water to drink.
22. Insulate your water pipes. You'll get hot water faster and avoid wasting water while it heats up
23. Installing a water meter can save you water and money by monitoring your water consumption.
24. Use a water butt to collect water (when it does rain!) for use in the garden and for cleaning your car.
25. Did you know that watering your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler, minimizes evaporation.
26. Spreading a layer of mulch around plants retains moisture and saves water, time and money.
27. Hoeing stimulates the growth of plants, reduces water loss from the soil surface and removes weeds that take up valuable water and nutrients.
28. Clean your driveway with a broom rather than a hose.
29. We're more likely to notice leaks indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor faucets, sprinklers and hoses for leaks.
30. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
31. When cleaning out your fish tank, give the nutrient-rich water to your house plants.
32. Trigger nozzles can save water by using it only when needed. This can save up to 225 litres a week.
33. Only use sprinklers for large areas of grass. Water small patches by hand with a watering can to avoid waste.
34. Let your lawn go dormant during the summer. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every 3 weeks or less if it rains.
35. Use a sponge and bucket of water to clean your car or if you use the hose, ensure you use a shut off nozzle so the water is not constantly running.
36. Wash your car on the lawn, and you'll water your lawn at the same time.
37. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
38. Wash your pets outdoors in an area of your lawn that needs water.
39. For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or soil to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
40. When you wash your hands, use the plug rather than just running the tap as it’ll save you money.
41. When you’re washing up, use a bowl and you’ll use less water and less energy.
42. If you’re worried about how much water you’re using and there’s only a couple of you living in the house, you could save money by having a water meter fitted.
43. Fit a shower regulator which controls the amount of water you use and could save you money on your utility bills.
44. If like us you’re half asleep when you brush your teeth, remember to not leave the tap running.