Households throughout England and Wales will be seeking to save money on their water bills and help to save this precious resource. Wessex Water conservation initiatives Wessex Water has calculated that modest changes in daily routines can save more than £40 million. Our research shows families can save up to £50 a year by reducing the amount do laundry thanks to some simple effective tips. Repairing those leaks provides even greater savings – as much as £519 a year.
Our national average household is using a vast majority of their water in activities we can improve. From scrubbing dishes to taking a shower, many people do not understand how much water they are using, let alone wasting. A few simple changes can go a long way in helping households save money and lower their water usage.
Understanding Water Consumption
One of the most striking statistics comes from everyday tasks that, when multiplied over time, lead to significant water usage. On average, a 10-minute washing-up session can use over 60 litres of water. Households can save money by minimizing these sessions or using a dishwasher, which typically uses about 9.5 litres per full cycle, making it more water-efficient than handwashing dishes.
Besides cleaning clothes, the typical washing machine consumes more than 50 litres of water on a standard cycle. By allowing families to do less laundry, these new savings will be tangible for families. Wessex Water shows their customers how easy it can be to save money. By missing only two washes a week, you can save about £50 off your water and energy bills annually.
The type of bathroom fixtures you choose makes a huge difference in your water-saving efforts. A single flush of a modern toilet uses approximately 4.5 liters of water. In comparison, models prior to 1994 may use 13 litres or more per flush. Installing dual-flush toilets offers users the option of a lower-water flush for liquid waste (about 3 litres) and a higher-water option for solid waste (around 6 litres).
Addressing Leaks and Waste
Households tend to ignore dripping faucets or toilets that run, which can double or triple an average monthly water bill. A leaking tap or continuously flushing toilet can waste up to 400 litres of water per day. And repairing these leaks isn’t just better for the environment, it would save an average household £519 annually.
Moreover, simple habits such as brushing teeth twice a day can waste approximately 24 litres of water daily if done with a running tap. Instead, simply turning the tap off while brushing teeth would save more than that much water.
A running tap can waste and use enough water every minute to fill more than 6 single serve water bottles. This waste encourages households to look for other solutions, such as filling a basin for washing dishes or brushing teeth.
Adopting Efficient Practices
Moving from baths to showers is another top water-saving tip that’s easy to implement. A standard bath draws around 80 litres of water. That’s almost twice as much as a regular six-minute shower uses, which is much more efficient. Replacing just one bath a week with a four-minute shower will save around £9 a year on energy bills alone.
Households can estimate their water use by counting the bedrooms they have in their unit. They must consider the impact on the number of residents that reside there. If there are more bedrooms than people in your household, you might benefit from moving to a water meter. If you haven’t been metered, this simple change can save you hundreds of pounds every year.
Some local authorities offer their own council tax discounts. That’s huge, saving households an average of up to 35% on their water and waste services! Residents should be proactive and seek guidance from their local government about options you may have to cut costs.