Ideal Standard and Waterwise have compiled some top tips for installers to help their customers to save water easily. While many are common sense, on average more than 50% of us don’t take these basic steps to reduce how much water we use and save money.
We can all help reduce waste by making small behavioural changes around the home and by choosing more water efficient products.
In the bathroom…
18: Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth – a running tap wastes over 6 litres per minute.
17: Purchase a water efficient dual flush toilet, which has a split flush button which gives the user the choice of how much water to use – this will be typically 4-6 litres of water opposed to the old style flush systems which use a massive 13 litres per flush.
16: Try to avoid flushing away cotton ball or make up tissues, simply throwing them in a bin will cut down on the amount of water wasted with every flush.
15: A bath typically uses around 80 litres, while a short shower can use as little as a third of that amount. But beware since many power-showers may actually use more than a bath.
14: Switch Low flow Aerated showerhead which reduces the amount of water used, by mixing air in with water to still give the same pressure and feel as a normal shower.
13: Don’t leave the shower running before you get in and try to keep track of the time you spend in the shower by setting a timer alarm on your mobile phone.
12: Take shallower baths: by running your bath by just an inch shorter than usual you can save on average 5 litres of water.
11: You can minimise your water use by reusing your bathwater to water your houseplants or garden.
In the kitchen…
10: Try and use a full load with a dishwasher every time. This can be helped by ensuring you buy a dishwasher with a capacity suitable for your household size.
9: Experiment with different settings on your dishwasher, many modern machines offer ‘Eco’ or ‘Economy’ setting which use less water and energy. These can even be more efficient than hand washing.
8: Try adding a washing up bowl or plug into your kitchen sink to catch excess. This can reduce water wastage by 50% and can also be used to wash your veg in, rather than leaving a tap running.
7: Adding a tap aerator can help to reduce the flow, similar to the shower.
Doing the laundry…
6: Surveys show that a typical load of washing is usually much less than the maximum capacity of the model, stuff in a few extra shirts to make the most of your loads.
5: Read the manual to find out which cycles are the most water efficient – it’s not always the shortest one.
When it comes to drinking water…
4: This is one area you should NOT cut back your usage, UK tap water is one of the best in the world. Enjoy it.
3: But, do put it in the fridge so you can have chilled water all the time – waiting for the tap to run cold can waste more than 10l of tap water a day.
2: Try to fill the kettle with only what is needed, this will save water and energy.
1: Using the lid on saucepans reduces the amount of water lost, so you don’t have to put as much in. It also helps your lovely veg cook quicker.
For more information on Waterwise, visit: www.waterwise.org.uk. For more information on Ideal Standard and its water-saving bathroom products, visit: www.ideal-standard.co.uk
