How to use less water Bathroom water savers
Showers generally use less water than baths
Take a shower
Why not take a shower instead of a bath? A bath uses around 80 litres of water, in comparison a shower uses around 35 litres. Be careful if you have a power shower though, as some of these can actually use more water than a bath if they are turned up to maximum power.
When you’re in the shower, try to remember to turn it off while you're lathering soap or shampoo. It sounds fiddly, but you'll get used to it quickly.
You could also fit a water-saving shower head to cut the water used each time you shower. See water-saving gadgets for our verdict on some of these devices.
Water saving: 55 litres a shower (13.75p)
Turn off the taps
Don't leave the tap running when you brush your teeth. We could save enough water to supply 500,000 homes if the adult population of England and Wales remembered to turn the tap off each time.
Water saving: 9 litres (2.25p) a day
Reduce your flush
The Hippo bag could save you £20 a year and is free from some water companies
Fit a water-saving 'Hippo' or 'save-a-flush' device in your cistern to cut the amount of water you use each time you flush. Your water company may supply one free.
See water-saving gadgets for our verdict on some of these devices.
Water saving: 5 litres (1.25p*) a day
Buy a new toilet
Got an old toilet that's due to be replaced? Do it now. New toilets generally use less water and are more likely to have a dual flush. Toilets bought before 1993 will probably have a cistern that uses 9.5 litres of water per flush, while those installed since 1993 typically use 7.5 litres of water per flush. Even more efficient toilets that use just 4 or 2 litres are also now available.
Water saving:10 litres (2.5p) a day
* 'Money saved' figures refer to water meter customers on an average tariff charging 0.25p per litre. While these figures may not seem to be much of a saving, 2p a day adds up to more than £7 a year.
- Find out about switching to a water meter
- Read about water-saving shower heads
- More expert water saving tips
