Real water-saving solutions from installers

“For all sites I offer rain water collection such as a water butt for collecting rain water to use on the garden.

“Tap aerators & flow regulators are a very easy win and screw into basin and kitchen taps and can reduce flow considerably without making the tap pressure feel weak. Shower flow regulators are so easy to fit and are fitted between the hose and mixer or shower head. They can bring a high-flow shower down to around 6–8 litres/min.

Water-efficient shower heads can maintain a decent spray pattern but do reduce water consumption.

“An old school method is to put a brick into a WC cistern to displace some water, you can now purchase a specific plastic bag device that you can use instead of a brick! If fitting a new toilet cistern or cistern ball valve replacement then you can set a reduced fill level via adjustment of the ball valve. I can also install dual flush siphons to cisterns that have option for short flush and a full flush.

“For schools, offices and public buildings I fit lots of self closing, push operated taps. Sensor taps prevent taps being left running and reduces unnecessary run time but can be expensive to purchase.”

Brian Toward, CEO of UK bathroom retailer Wholesale Domestic, echoed Steve’s recommendations. He said:

“One of the easiest and most effective ways to cut down on water usage without sacrificing performance is by installing a tap aerator. It is a small device that fits onto the end of a tap which mixes air with the water flow to reduce the amount of water used while maintaining good pressure. This means you get the same experience when washing your hands, brushing your teeth or rinsing dishes, but you’re using significantly less water.

“By fitting tap aerators in key areas like the kitchen and bathroom, households can cut their water consumption from taps by up to 50%. This could mean saving thousands of litres of water each year, reducing both water and energy bills, since less hot water is needed.

“If you have any leaking fixtures, make sure to get these fixed quickly. While a single dripping tap might seem insignificant, over time it can waste a surprising amount of water and increase household bills.”

Paul Williams, plumber and heating engineer, agreed. He said:

“Changing the tap nozzle to aerate the water is one, same can be done on manual showers but be careful as some of them a legionnaires risk. Water butts for gardens. Bug one is always turn the water off when cleaning your teeth. Limit your shower time. The main one is leaky loos, there is a big push on this at the moment. It’s the hidden leak in the toilet pan where it leaks and people don’t notice it.”

The Ledro bath from Victoria + Albert uses 30% less water than a typical freestanding bath. It was initially designed for hotel projects where water-use is critical. At first glance it seems like a conventional slipper bath but its shape means reduced water use. Like all Victoria + Albert baths and basins, Ledro can be specified in any of 200 RAL exterior colours and it is made from Quarrycast, a unique composite of Volcanic Limestone and a special resin.  The material is strong, durable and relatively light, and is scratch and stain resistance.  Importantly it is a natural insulator, so less of the heat of the water is spent warming up the tub, and the bath water will stay warm for longer.

The hansgrohe ShowerTablet Select 360 and the Activera showers. When combining the ShowerTablet Select 360 thermostat with Activera shower products featuring EcoSmart or EcoSmart+ technology, the showers reduce water consumption by up to 60% compared to standard hansgrohe models – saving both water and energy. EcoSmart limits water flow to just eight litres per minute at three bar. EcoSmart+ reduces consumption even further to six litres per minute.

Colm Lalor, Commercial Director at nuie, on water-saving solutions and efficiency, added this advice:

“Toilets are an area where relatively small specification decisions can make a difference over the lifetime of the product. Dual-flush systems give users the option of using a reduced flush where appropriate, while modern flush mechanisms don’t rely on unnecessarily high volumes of water. Cyclone flush systems are another option worth considering, as the circular flow distributes water around the bowl to support an effective, thorough flush while using less water. When installing a new WC, compatibility with the existing plumbing and cistern setup is the first thing to establish. Correct adjustment during installation is equally important; a flush system that hasn’t been set up properly won’t deliver the right results. No specialist training is normally needed, but installers should be familiar with the particular WC and follow the manufacturer’s fitting instructions.

“For installers, I’d also look at what can be changed without creating additional work. If a customer is already replacing a tap, shower or toilet, that’s a good time to recommend a water-efficient alternative rather than treating water saving as something that only applies to a full renovation. Where products use standard connections and can be fitted as a direct replacement, they can usually be incorporated without much increase to the installation time.

“It’s important to note that water saving shouldn’t come at the expense of performance. An installer’s role is to specify products that use water efficiently while still meeting the customer’s needs. When products perform as expected while also using less water, the customer gets the best of both worlds – no compromise on performance and lower water consumption, which can also help reduce household running costs over time.”