Using Water Wisely at Home

Why are we asked to save water when it’s always raining? The UK is rain soaked so shouldn’t there be enough water to go around?

The reality is parts of England are suffering from serious water stress and a rising demand for water means taking more and more water from underground sources and rivers, this is affecting the natural environment. We can all help reduce this water stress by using our water supplies more responsibly.

Water is heavy, and it takes a lot of energy to collect, treat and pump water to our homes. According to Waterwise, the UK’s leading authority on water efficiency, the energy used to pump, treat and heat the water in the average family's home each year produces the carbon equivalent of a return flight from London to New York.

So if we all use less water and less energy we will also reduce our carbon footprints. So that’s a win-win, or even a win-win-win!

CCWater’s Top Water Saving Tips

• Replace worn washers on leaky taps. A dripping tap could add over £18 to your annual water bill if your water use is metered. 
• Take showers rather than baths. If you usually shower, try shortening it. A short shower can use a third of the water used in a typical bath. 
• When putting the kettle on to boil, only fill it with as much water as necessary. Two-thirds of us waste energy by boiling more water than we need. 
• Make sure that the dishwasher or washing machine is completely full before turning it on, and avoid using the half load setting. Half-load cycles use much more than half the energy and water of a full load.
• Around a third of the water we use goes straight down the loo, so using a water displacement device in older, less water efficient toilets, can help save water with every flush.

These few simple measures can reduce your water use around the home and when you reduce hot water use it also saves energy and can help keep your energy bills down.

Useful links

Energy Saving Trust – The link between water and carbon
Waterwise – Reducing Water Wastage in the UK