Online Pump Supplies recently published a survey dissecting the bad water wasting habits of UK residents. From a sample size of 1,000, it was found that 35% of people still leave their taps running while brushing their teeth – wasting approximately £70.81 every year – and that 20% have at least one dripping tap in their home, wasting 1,095 litres of water per annum. As this poor water management has fiscal ramifications (as well as environmental ones), are you losing money through these common ways homeowners waste water?
Long, Luxurious Showers
The average shower time is 9 minutes long, costing you £254.92 a year, if you use it every day. That’s already quite a considerable amount of money, when you think that a shower is just one appliance in your home. Each minute you reduce in the shower, saves you a lot of money in the long run.
Half-Full Laundry And Dishwasher Loads
If you don’t fill up your washing machine or dishwasher, you’re effectively getting less done for a higher price. Get the most out of your drum by filling it up properly and make sure that you use the 30 degree setting, to save more energy.
Ignoring Your Shower Head
When it comes to saving water in the shower, you can cut down your time to the recommended 3 minutes, but that won’t scratch the surface if you have a water guzzling shower head – invest in an environmentally-friendly model to slash your shower costs.
Taking Frequent Baths
There’s always a debate over which is the least environmentally-friendly, baths or showers? If we accept that the average shower time takes 9 minutes, you still save more money than the equivalent average bath, containing 80 litres of water, versus the shower’s 72 litres.
Leaving The Tap Running When Washing Dishes
This is a huge source of water wastage. If you feel as though you need to rinse off your dishes, keep a separate bowl full of clean water for dipping clean plates or spritz off your clean crockery at the end of your dishwashing session with a spray bottle of clean water.
Watering Plants With A Hosepipe
There are many ways to siphon off clean water for your plants. One option is to harvest rainwater (70% of homes don’t do this); another is to look to your bathroom. While waiting for your shower water to heat up, stick a bucket in the bath and use this water for your plants. Alternatively, take a clean water bath, not using any products, and use this water for the garden.
No Hippo In Your Cistern
A plastic bottle (or a ‘hippo’) placed in your cistern will stop your toilet filling up with so much water. Instead, you will cut back on the water used in your flushes, saving you money.
Not Monitoring Your Water Consumption
Most water companies will install a water metre in your house for free, so track your water usage to find the motivation to cut down. Call up your water company to discuss your options!
Waiting For Ice Cold Water
Nobody wants to drink lukewarm water. Instead of running the tap until it is ice cold, place a large bottle of drinking water in the fridge, so you have pre-chilled water waiting for you at all times.