There are many reasons to save water.

Keeps your water bills affordable
If you are on a water meter you only pay for the water you use. Using less water helps keep your bills down.

Reduces energy
Heating water in homes for cooking, washing and cleaning costs you money in energy bills and produces 5% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Lower charges for everyone
Using less water means we don't need to treat and pump so much water. When we spend less on energy, chemicals and additional reservoirs or boreholes, these savings get passed onto you.

Reducing waste
Using less water reduces the amount that has to be treated as waste. Water that goes straight down the drain without being properly used is a waste and is costly to you, the environment and us.

Protects the environment
Taking less water out of the ground, rivers and reservoirs is better for wildlife and the environment.

Helps secure water supplies for the future
Reducing the amount of water you waste now will help secure supplies for your family in the future.

Reduce the chances of water restrictions
Such as hosepipe bans during a drought.

By using less water, we don't need to treat and pump so much water, so less money needs to be spent on energy, chemicals and on additional reservoirs or boreholes.

Reducing the amount of energy used in the pumping of water reduces our carbon emissions, which contributes to greenhouse gases, and leads to climate change.

Less chemicals used in the treatment of water and wastewater means there is less energy and materials used in their production, and less by products to contend with.

Reducing waste in your home or business means that we reduce the amount of water that has to be treated or that uses energy unnecessarily. Water that goes straight down the drain without being properly used is a waste and is costly to you, the environment and us.

To order your water efficiency devices, visit Get Water Fit and fill in the water-use survey. The results of the survey will be tailored to you and show you the water-saving devices which will help you to save water in your home.

Select the devices you want - and they will be sent to you free of charge.

Baths
It’s easy to save water when bathing by remembering:
- On average baths use more water than showers. A full bath uses around 80 litres of water.
 - Check the temperature as you fill so you don’t need to add water at the end.

Showers
Power showers use almost twice as much water as gravity-fed showers.

Keeping showers to four minutes or less will ensure you don’t let excessive water run to waste. To help you keep track use a shower timer.

Fix an aerating showerhead.

Gravity-fed showers: 4 minutes in a gravity-fed shower uses about 35 litres of water.

Power showers: 4 minutes in a power shower uses about 70 litres.

Toilets
Around a quarter of the water we use in the home is used to flush the toilet. How much water your toilet uses will depend on the size of the cistern.

Most modern toilets have a dual flush toilet cistern and these are water efficient.

If your toilet is older, you can reduce the amount of water used by fitting a Hippo or Save-a-Flush device. These are simple devices which reduce the capacity of the toilet cistern therefore using less water for each flush. You can request a free Hippo or Save-a-flush device.

When replacing a toilet look for low flush or dual-flush models.

Leaking toilets
- Leaky loos are one of the most common causes of unexpectedly high water use but aren’t easy to spot as the water just dribbles away down the pan, so they often go unnoticed.
- A single leaky loo can waste up to 400 litres of water a day – the equivalent of five full bathtubs.

How to spot a leaky loo
If you can hear water flowing when the toilet has not been flushed, or if you can see a constant trickle at the back of the toilet pan, you may have a leaky loo.

Wait until 30 minutes after the last flush then wipe the back of the pan dry with toilet tissue.
Place a new, dry sheet of toilet tissue across the back of the pan. Leave it in place for up to three hours without using the toilet. (This may be best to do overnight.)

If the paper is wet or torn in the morning, you have a leaky loo.

If you do have a leak and need a plumber call an approved plumber.

Brushing teeth
Remember to turn off the tap while brushing. This could save up to six litres of water a minute.

Fix dripping taps
A dripping tap can waste enough water in a day to fill a bath.

Replace tap washers when they become worn.

Washing and shaving

Put the plug in
Remembering to put the plug in your wash basin can save around two litres of water each time you wash or have a shave.

Washing machines and dishwashers

Wait until you have a full load before using your dishwasher or washing machine.

If you swill off the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher this will add to the total water you use.

When buying new machines choose water efficient models. You may also save on energy costs, as they are likely to be more energy efficient.

Washing up

Use a bowl when washing up instead of a running tap. You can save about five litres of water per wash in this way.

Wait until you have enough dirty dishes to fill your bowl.

Preparing food

Wash and prepare food in a bowl rather than under a running tap. This water can then be recycled for use in the garden.

Waste disposal units

Waste disposal units use a lot of water to wash away food waste. You can make better use of this waste, and save lots of water at the same time, by putting your fruit and vegetable peelings on a compost heap.

Drinking water
Running a tap until the water is cold wastes about four litres each time. Keep a jug of water in the fridge or collect this water and use it for something else, such as houseplants, or garden watering.

Only fill the kettle with the water you need, ensuring the element is fully covered.

Fix dripping taps

A dripping tap can waste enough water in a day to fill a bath

Replace tap washers when they become worn.

Water wisely

Never water in the heat of the day - most will evaporate and if it’s sunny you run the risk of scorching your plants. It’s better to water in the evening or early morning.

Make a little dam of earth around each plant to make sure the water goes directly to the roots.
Long, slow drinks in the first few weeks encourage roots to grow down and will produce plants that can look after themselves in hot weather.

Only water plants that need it. Some plants, even root vegetables, will survive on very little water. Potatoes and broad beans only need water when they are filling out, however, lettuces, tomatoes and marrows will need water throughout the season.

If possible avoid using sprinklers and hosepipes.

If you do use a hosepipe, ensure it is fitted with a trigger nozzle that will stop the flow of water when you release it.

Consider using an irrigation system that will deliver water directly to your plants.

Potted plants

Reduce the number of pots and hanging baskets, as these all need frequent watering.
Instead use larger pots and make sure they are well mulched and contain water retentive crystals.

Place a container underneath to capture any excess water.

Choice of plants

Grow suitable drought tolerant plants as these need little watering.

Edible perennials, such as rhubarb, asparagus, artichokes and green leafy vegetables are also more resilient to weather changes.

Look out for grey leaved plants such as lavender, sages or those with fat leaves that can store water, such as sedums, as these are more tolerant to dry conditions.

Garden maintenance

Maintaining your garden will ensure water is not wasted on dead, diseased or damaged plants.

Dead-head flowering plants to encourage new growth and remove any rotten or dead wood.

The Chelsea Chop (so called because it is done around the time of the flower show at the end of May) involves cutting back by half plants such as phlox, chrysanthemums, asters, rudbeckia, echinacea and helenium to reduce transpiration and encourage them to make bushier plants.

Pull weeds out when the shoots first appear, before they compete with your plants for precious water.

Did you know?

Brown tips - can indicate a lack of water.
Black leaves or roots - indicate too much water.

Grass can survive for long periods without water and will quickly recover from drought.

Unless you totally drench the lawn, watering encourages the roots to come to the surface making it less tolerant to dry conditions.

In dry spells raise the blades on your mower so that the lawn is left longer and cut the grass less frequently.

Aerating the lawn will allow moisture to seep down to the roots.

Save water and money around the garden by using drought tolerant plants.

Drought tolerant trees and shrubs
Berberis
Birch
Buddleia – Butterfly bush
Box
Cotoneaster
Hebe (small leaved)
Holly
Winter jasmine
Lavender
Privet
Rosemary
Sage
Yew
Viburnum
Periwinkle

Drought tolerant annuals
Cosmos
Morning glory
Poppy

Drought tolerant climbers
Clematis
Russian Vine
Ivy
Virginia creeper
Honeysuckle

Drought tolerant bedding and patio plants
Argyranthemum
Begonia fuchsioides
Lantana
Tobacco plant
Pelargonium
Petunia

Drought tolerant perennials
Bears breeches
Achillea
Hollyhock
Thrift
Aquilegia
Campanula
Foxglove
Perennial wallflower
Euphorbia
Fennel
Geranium
Day lily
Lovage
Catmint
Viola

Drought tolerant alpines
Phlox
Sedum
Sempervivum

Compost provides valuable nutrients and encourages drainage, while keeping the soil moist. You can buy various types or make your own by saving refuse from the kitchen, such as vegetable peelings and tea bags.

All kinds of garden waste can also be used, but avoid recycling diseased plants or weeds in this way.

Composters can be purchased cheaply from outlets such as DIY stores and garden centres.

The average roof collects about 85,000 litres of rainwater in a year, which is enough to fill 450 water butts with free water.

A water butt can help you stockpile rainwater for summertime gardening. As well as helping you to save money on your bill, rainwater is also better for plants than tap water.

Water butts can be purchased cheaply from outlets such as DIY stores and garden centres.

Instead of using a hosepipe or pressure washer, use a bucket when shampooing your car and a watering can when rinsing off the soap.

If you need to use a hosepipe, ensure it is fitted with a trigger nozzle that will stop the flow of water when it is released.

It is a well-known fact that much of the water we use does not need to be of drinking water quality.

Studies have shown that 55% of domestic treated water could be substituted for rainwater.

In simple terms, rainwater harvesting systems are designed to capture and store rainwater that falls onto roofs.

It is then passed through a filter to remove leaves and other debris, before being stored in an underground tank.

The water can be used with or without the addition of a header tank for a variety of non-potable water uses including flushing the toilet, washing vehicles and gardening.

Costs
Typically, rainwater harvesting systems are more suited for new-build properties, where the cost of plumbing them in is negligible.

Retrofitting them into an existing property can be expensive because of the amount of internal plumbing work required.

Regulations
The British Standard for rainwater harvesting, BS8515 provides criteria for rainwater harvesting equipment manufactured in the UK.

Grey water is wastewater from showers, baths, and wash basins. If treated correctly, it can be used for flushing the toilet, watering gardens and washing cars, helping to cut down water
consumption by more than a third.

The use of grey water technologies in our homes is still in its infancy. This is because the cost of fitting such systems is high and there are concerns the quality of the water may pose a health risk.

While grey water from baths, showers and basins is usually clean enough for flushing toilets, bacteria can soon build up when nutrient rich waste water is left untreated for a period of time. To prevent bacteria levels from building up, it is advisable to only have a small storage tank, which in turn can cause problems for providing a reliable supply during periods of low rainfall.

Grey water recycling systems can now be purchased from many outlets such as DIY stores.

Larger grey water systems that supply more than one property tend to use more sophisticated "biological" treatment methods. This works in a similar way to the processes used at sewerage treatment works. Small-scale systems tend to use "physical" treatment methods which rely on a basic filtration process. They tend to require the use of chemicals similar to bleach to stop the growth of bacteria while the water is in storage. Some systems use a combination of the two giving a "bio-mechanical" process.

Regulations
All installations must comply with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 and the Building Regulations (parts G & H).