• print page
• email this page
• ask a question

Water Efficiency

The UK has less available water per person than most other European countries. London is drier than Istanbul, and the South East of England has less water available per person than the Sudan and Syria.

• Fixing a dripping tap can save as much as 75 litres per day. A dripping tap wastes at least 5,500 litres of water per year, that's enough to fill a paddling pool every week for the whole summer.
• Filling a bottle with tap water and placing it in the fridge saves you running the tap waiting for the water to run cold. This can save approximately 10 litres per day.
• Short showers use less water than running a bath - so replace bath time with shower time. A way of guaranteeing your shower is a short one is by investing in a shower timer, and keeping your showers under four minutes.
• Lagging exposed pipes helps to prevent unexpected bursts from frost damage.
• Placing a hippo or another displacement device in your toilet cistern will save water every time you flush the toilet. Water used to flush the toilet accounts for one third of the water used in the home.

For further information on water efficiency visit Waterwise Opens in a new window.

Waterwise Opens in a new window is the leading authority on water efficiency. They are focused on decreasing water consumption in the UK and have published a White Paper for the new Coalition Government to help them meet the challenges of climate change through wasting less water.