- United Utilities provides a free Water Saver’s Pack which contains both a self water audit guide and a save-a-flush. The save-a-flush saves 1 litre of water every time the toilet is flushed, and the audit guide can help you identify any other ways you can save water around your home. Visit www.unitedutilities.com to request a pack.
- Buy a water butt to collect rain water for the garden. Almost 100,000 litres of water falls on the average rooftop every year. Many water companies and councils sell water butts at subsidised prices.
- Recycle used water to water the garden, where practical.
- Hand wash your car – it’ll save you money or get the kids to do it for you! Drink tap water - EU mains drinking water meets very high standards and requires 300 times less energy than bottled water.
- Cool water in the fridge - keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of waiting for the tap to run cold.
- Don’t forget to turn off or turn down the water heating when you go away.
- Use the dishwasher and washing machine with a full load – it uses less energy and water.
- Use the economy settings where possible. Half load settings use less water, but a similar amount of energy.
- Turn off the tap while you’re brushing your teeth – it saves water, possibly up to £25 worth each year.
- Shower more, bath less - a five-minute shower can use about a third of the water needed for a bath. But power showers can use more water than a bath in less than five minutes.
If every UK home reduced their hot water use by just 5%, the CO2 saving would be equivalent to taking nearly 600,000 cars off the roads.
Download our leaflet on saving water