If you’ve read my post about how you can reduce the amount of water you use in the bathroom, you may also be thinking about how you can go one step further and cut your water use even more across the home. A finite resource, we should really all be aware of where and how we use the old ‘council pop’, so these tips for saving water in your home are an excellent place to start (yes, I am biased). Which will you start with?
Turn off the taps
According to the WWF “turning off the tap while brushing your teeth could save 13 litres of water a day. If the entire adult population of England and Wales remembered to do this, we could save 180 mega litres a day – enough to supply nearly 500,000 homes”. That’s almost as many homes as in Glasgow and Edinburgh together.
Fit a water meter
As far as tips for saving water go, a water meter could save you money, but it does depend on how many people live in your household. Figures from Discover Water (water.org.uk) which works with governments, regulators and stakeholders on the sustainable delivering of water, estimates we use an average of 143 litres per person each day – but in households with no water meter it’s 167 litres, while those that have one only use133 litres. Of course, the more people you share a home with, the more water you will use. However, you can ask your water company to install a free meter – and if you don’t save money, you do have the right to go back to your previous flat-rate charge.
Fix drips and leaks
While a dripping tap might appear to be low down on the list of household jobs, fixing it could really reduce water wastage. And if you’ve already had a meter fitted (see above), you could literally be throwing money down the drain. The appliance will also detect if your use changes from month to month, which will help to pinpoint if you have sprung any leaks that may not be immediately obvious but still need attending to, such as pipes below floorboards.
Use a timer in the shower
Not exactly like those 20p ones you get when you camping, don’t worry. But, according to how-to-save-water.co.uk, taking long showers could mean you’re actually using more water than if you’d had a bath. While how much you need in the shower will depend on your boiler system and which shower head you have, waterwise.org.uk reports that the trend for longer showers is on the rise. A simple way to save water is to limit your time under the spray to around four minutes – and the best way to do that is to buy a waterproof timer. Relatively inexpensive, there are plenty available on the market and investing in one will help you bring down your showering time with ease.
Reuse water
Consider using ‘grey’ water, which has been used for a soak or washing (be careful with soaps), in the garden. Fitting a bathwater diverter can help you to do this. It attaches to an exterior waste pipe to divert used bath water to a butt or direct to a hose, so even a hosepipe ban won’t keep your plants and lawn from flourishing.
Fancy a bonus tip for saving water?
If you’re planning a bathroom makeover or renovating your ensuite, keep an eye out for the European Water Label to help you find the most efficient designs possible. It’s a scheme developed in conjunction with the Bathrooms Manufacturers Association and operated by the Water Label Company. Much like the energy saving labels we’re used to seeing on kitchen appliances, this colour-coded system started appearing in 2014 and is now widespread on WCs, taps, and baths to help you source products that will help you conserve water. In addition, the Water Regulations Advisory (WRAS) mark shows that a product conforms to UK regulation standards. While it’s not compulsory for domestic products to meet them – or to carry the label – you can search an online database to find those that do.
What did you think of those tips for saving water? Let me know in the comments below…
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Featured image: Esseta solid surface bath is available in the shown white or eight Colourkast shades, BC Designs.
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