Reducing Water Wastage in the UK

In times like these we all need to see where we can save money and cut back on our bills to get us through the economically difficult time we are facing, especially with a house full of people over Christmas, your utility bills may shoot up. Of course we can all save money by buying cheaper products and cutting back on luxuries, but Waterwise has calculated the average family could save around £200 a year by becoming more water efficient so you can reduce your water and energy bills, and another is buying water efficient products (in the sales!) to save you money in the long term.

Waterwise has calculated that washing up under a running tap costs you 40p a day, whilst using two wash basins of water or a full load in your dishwasher costs just 8p. Therefore using a full load in your dishwasher and being water efficient can be 5 times cheaper than washing up under a running tap and can save you as much as £110 a year. A family of four could also save about £100 a year on their water and energy bills simply by reducing each shower length by one minute.

An amazing 25% of your household energy bill comes from heating water for use in your shower, bath, washing machine and dishwasher. By cutting one minute off your shower time, swapping a deep bath for a short shower and always using full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher you really can save water, save energy and money.

Jacob Tompkins, Director of Waterwise says ‘Water efficiency is a perfect way to save money, and there are so many things you can do without even spending any money. Turning the tap off when you brush your teeth and cutting one minute off your shower, are great ways to reduce your water bill, and also reduce your energy bill too. And, whilst you’re saving money and energy you will be helping the environment too, so everyone wins.’ 

Swapping your standard water bill for a metered supply could also save you money, because you will be charged only for the water you use. Therefore simple water saving tips and behaviour changes like turning the tap off when you brush your teeth, putting a displacement device in your toilet cistern, cutting a minute off your shower time and using a washing up bowl in the kitchen will all save litres of water without costing you a penny (well, apart from maybe a new washing up bowl).

For a full list of how you can reduce your water consumption, and also reduce your energy bill please visit www.waterwise.org.uk or contact This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Notes to Editors
Waterwise is an independent, not for profit, non-governmental organisation focused on decreasing water consumption in the UK by 2010 and building the evidence base for large scale water efficiency. We are the leading authority on water efficiency in the UK. We sat on the UK Environment Minister’s Water Saving Group alongside the water industry and regulators.

Our aim is to reverse the upward trend in how much water we all use at home and at work by 2010.

Both water and energy prices are highly variable, so these are just averages, and prices may vary between suppliers.

The washing up figure is calculated based on a tap running for 10 minutes at nine litres per minute costing £0.014 per minute in energy and £0.027 per minute in water if on a water meter.

One minute in the shower costs the average person £0.04 on an electric hot water system, and £0.03 in water if on a water bill. A family of four reducing their shower time by one minute everyday for a year could save £102.20 on their combined water and energy bill.

For more information please visit www.waterwise.org.uk

Contacts:

Victoria Higgins
Communications Coordinator, Waterwise
020 7344 1883 / 07894 856766
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1 Queen Anne’s Gate, London, SW1H 9BT

Jacob Tompkins
Director, Waterwise
0207 344 1841
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1 Queen Anne’s Gate, London, SW1H 9BT