Water is one of our precious resources, but although it is a worldwide issue, the UK’s reputation for rainy weather often sees us taking our water supply for granted. Water companies capture less rain for our use than people realise, and many of us underestimate the energy water companies need to treat and pump water into our homes. Then there’s the energy required to produce hot water at home to take into consideration. With all this in mind, alongside climate change, and the weather extremes that comes with it, water supply is becoming increasingly unpredictable. It’s important for us all to make minor changes in our day to day lives to save water where we can. Here are some easy water saving tips that you can start to implement at home straight away.
In the kitchen
- Ensure your dishwasher and washing machine have full loads before using them. According to water.org.uk, the average washing machine uses 50 litres of water per cycle, and a dishwasher uses 14 litres a cycle (a modern dishwasher on an eco-setting is slightly less at 10 litres per cycle).
- Make sure you fix a dripping tap, it could save you up to 3 litres of water a day.
- When washing fruits and vegetables, place a bowl in the sink to catch the wastewater and use it to water your plants.
- Use only what you need. Next time you make a cuppa, only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need. You’ll save water and save around £6 a year off your energy bill.
In the bathroom
- Shower instead of bathing. A five-minute shower uses bout 40 litres of water (roughly half the volume of a standard bath). If you can keep to a two-minute shower, then all the better.
- Change your shower head. Consider replacing your shower head with a water efficient one. It could save you money every year on gas (for water heating) and water bills.
- Place a cistern displacement device in your toilet cistern to reduce the volume of water used with each flush. You can get one of these from your water provider.
- Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth – it can save 6 litres of water a minute!
In the garden
- Choose a watering can to water the garden rather than a hosepipe – we know it takes longer but you will save tons of water.
- If you are a keen gardener, a drip irrigation system is a fantastic way to precisely release water to the roots of plants. It works by using a network of pipes to carry water around the garden, and then connecting drip emitters and positioning them close to the root of plants. Because the drip emitters release water slowly, you have greater control of the amount of water being delivered, eliminating water waste. Your flower beds, vegetable patches, greenhouses, and the environment will thank you for investing in one of these systems.
- Use a water butt to collect rainwater – you will be able to water your garden completely guilt free all summer.
- Cover soil with gravel or chipped bark to help keep moisture in and weeds out.
If you want a luscious green lawn without using tons of water, there are tons of ways to help achieve this. Check out this ‘Less water, more green’ article for some helpful tips.
If the team at Maintracts can help you achieve more efficient water usage in anyway, our plumbing services combined with our expert Plumbing and Heating Engineers, are always happy to help.
