Water is one of our most precious resources, yet it's often taken for granted.
With the growing impacts of climate change, conserving water has never been more critical, and Water Saving Week, running from May 12th to 16th, is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and take action.
Why saving water matters
Conserving water helps protect our environment, supports resilient communities and reduces the impact of climate change.
By making small changes in our daily habits, both in work and at home, we can collectively have a significant impact. These small changes can also lead to big savings, helping reduce your water bill as well as contributing to a healthier environment.
Tips
In the bathroom: Showers, toilets, and baths account for about half of household water use, with toilets alone using about 25%.
- Take shorter showers: cutting your shower time by just one minute can save up to 7 litres of water.
- Switch to a low-flow shower head: these use around 6 litres per minute, compared to a standard shower head, which uses 10-15 litres per minute. Over a 10-minute shower, that’s a saving of up to 90 litres of water.
- Upgrade to a water-efficient toilet: dual flush toilets use only 4-6 litres per flush, compared to older models that can use up to 13 litres.
- Get a Cistern Displacement Device (CDD): this simple tool can reduce each flush by at least 1 litre and is often available for free from water suppliers.
- Fix leaks quickly: a leaking toilet can waste up to 400 litres of water per day, and a dripping tap can waste up to 15 litres of water a day.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth: this simple habit can save up to 6 litres of water per minute.
In the kitchen: Kitchens use about 22% of household water.
- Only run dishwashers and washing machines for full loads: running these appliances only when full can save water and energy, reducing your utility costs.
- Use eco settings: dishwashers on eco settings are often more efficient than washing by hand, especially if the dishwasher is fully loaded.
- Avoid pre-rinsing dishes: scrape them instead, modern detergents are designed to work effectively without extra rinsing.
In the garden: The garden can use a lot of water, especially in dry spells.
- Collect rainwater: using rainwater for your plants can save tap water and is better for the environment.
- Use a watering can: using a watering can instead of a sprinkler allows you to target the plant’s roots directly and saves water; sprinklers can use around 1,000 litres per hour, which is more than 12 full baths.
- Attach a trigger nozzle: if you need to use a hosepipe, attaching a trigger nozzle can halve the amount of water used.
- Avoid watering your lawn: during dry spells, it’s fine to let your lawn go brown as it will green up again after rainfall. If you do need to water, try to do so in the early morning or late afternoon when evaporation rates are lowest.
What you buy: Food and clothing production use a lot of water. By making mindful choices in what we eat and wear, we can reduce our water footprint.
- Consider eating more plants: The average water footprint per calorie for beef is 20 times larger than for cereals and starchy roots and 1.5 times larger for milk, eggs, and chicken than for pulses.
- Buy second-hand clothing: buying just one pair of jeans and a t-shirt second-hand instead of new could help save the equivalent of 20,000 standard bottles of water.
Water Saving Week is a great opportunity to adopt water-saving habits that benefit both your wallet and the environment.
To find out more, visit the Water Saving Week website.