How to use less water Kitchen water savers

Fix dripping taps

Broken taps can waste 12 to 20 litres of water a day. New washers cost only a few pence but will save you money if your water is metered.

  • Water saving A dripping tap can waste 12 to 20 litres of water a day – that's around 2.7-4.5p* worth of water
Water chilled

Cut wastage by chilling water in the fridge

Drink from a jug

If you want cold drinking water, fill a jug from the tap and put it in the fridge to chill. This would save 10 litres of water a day compared with running the tap until it turns cold each time.

  • Water saving 10 litres (2.3p) per day

Only boil what you need

Save water as well as energy by using the minimum amount of water required when you boil water in saucepans and kettles. Simple but smart kettle features can also help you save energy when you boil water, like clearly marked cup graduations so you only boil as much water as you need.

We measure how much energy an electric kettle uses during our lab tests - for the most energy-efficient models, look for a kettle with an 'energy to boil' star rating of four or more in our kettles review. You can also check out our Which? recommended energy-saving kettles.

  • Water saving Around 10 litres (2.3p) a day

Turn off the tap

Don't rinse dishes under a running tap – use a bowl of water instead. And try to use a bowl when washing vegetables, as the leftover water can then be used for watering house plants.

  • Water saving 20 litres (4.5p) a day
Washing machine full

Clean full loads of washing to save water

Fill the washing machine

Make sure your washing machine has a full load before you switch it on. Machines labelled A for energy efficiency tend to be water efficient, too. See our washing machine energy efficiency page for tips on running your machine efficiently.

The average washing machine uses 9.5 litres of water for every kilogram of cotton clothes it washes. But during our washing machine testing, we found water use varied between models, ranging from one that used just 6.2 litres of water per kilogram, to another that consumed 11.8 litres of water per kilogram. To find the most water-efficient washing machines we've tested, look for a washing machine with a water use rating of four stars or higher using our washing machines compare features and prices tool.

  • Water saving 5 to 10 litres (around 1-2.3p) every wash

Use the dishwasher more efficiently

If you own a dishwasher, fill it up fully before you use it and always use its eco program setting, which uses less water. Our video guide how to be greener with your dishwasher has all the tips you need to cut the amount of water your dishwasher uses.

  • Water saving 5 to 10 litres a cycle (around 1-2.3p)

While these figures don't seem to be much of a cost saving, 2.3p a day is actually more than £8 a year

* 'Money saved' figures refer to water meter customers on an average tariff charging 0.228p per litre.

 

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