How much water do you think you use a day? And what are the best ways to save water and cut waste?
Having a shower, cooking your dinner and flushing the loo all add up to an average of 150 litres daily for every Brit.
Help the environment and save your money with these 10 water-saving tips:
1. Turn off the taps
Leaving a tap running while brushing teeth uses 6 litres of water a minute. And by fixing a dripping tap you can save over 60 litres of water a week.
2. Boil what you need
Only boil as many cups of water as you need for your tea round – you’ll be saving money and energy.
3. Shower with less
It’s easy to linger in the shower when you’re sleepy in the morning – four-minute timers can help. And switching to an efficient shower head will allow you to lather up in less water.
4. Save up your dirty clothes
Washing a full machine load of clothes uses less water and energy than two half-loads. This means lower bills as well.
5. Get a low-flush toilet
The average UK household flushes the loo 5,000 times per year. Modern dual-flush systems use just six litres – or four with a reduced flush – much less than the 13 litres for each old-style single flush.
6. Eat less meat
Rearing animals for meat and dairy is incredibly water-intensive. By cutting down on the amount of meat you eat, you could slash your water use drastically.
7. Steam your veggies
As well as using less water than boiling, steaming retains more nutrients. If you do boil, try adding the water used as a tasty stock to soups. Or let it cool and use it to water house or garden plants.
8. Reduce food waste
It takes a lot of water to produce our cereal, fruit and other food. More than half of the 7 million tonnes of food and drink UK households bin every year could be eaten. So plan a week’s menu and go shopping with a list.
Check use-by dates so you don’t suddenly have to throw stuff out. Use leftovers to create new meals. This will help you waste less food – and save the average household £480 a year.
9. Time your gardening
Water outdoor plants in the early morning or at the end of the day. This stops water evaporating straight away in sunlight and heat. Also, water onto the soil rather than leaves. This makes sure the liquid goes straight to the roots, where it’s needed.
10. Catch rainwater
Installing water butts saves you turning on the tap. And your plants will thank you for rainwater rather than treated tap water. You can also cut water use by 33% by watering plants manually instead of using automatic sprinklers.
We have so much water in this country we’re often not careful about how much we use. In other countries they don’t have enough water. Or maybe their water is polluted, poisonous, or even lethal.
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