Use less water

Taking a 10-minute shower each day consumes the equivalent of over 100,000 glasses of drinking water every year. Whenever possible, keeping your shower to under four minutes could save up to £95 a year on your energy bills. And turn off the water while shampooing.

Switch to energy-efficient appliances if you can, and make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are full before pressing the start button to maximise water efficiency. Use eco-setting when you can – this uses lower wash and rinse temperatures, so it requires less energy to heat the water. Air-dry your laundry to save energy from your tumble dryer – it'll help reduce your electricity bill too.

Make sure you always turn off taps while you’re not using them, for example when cleaning your teeth. This is an easy way to teach your kids about water saving too; get them in the habit of turning off the tap when brushing. If you’re washing up in the kitchen sink, try and fill it with soapy water instead of letting the water run.

There are many ways to upgrade your home and save water, energy and money, like using a water-efficient shower head, universal plugs and kitchen tap aerators. Find out more about water saving products that can help you cut water use at home.

This will help you reduce the amount of water used for each flush and could help you save up to 12,500 litres per year – equivalent to 150 average-sized baths.

Water meters can help you understand how much water you’re using and make changes to reduce water waste and save money. Try this water meter calculator to check your potential savings. 

Water your plants in the morning or at night to reduce evaporation – using a watering can. If you’ve got a garden, try xeriscaping – a landscaping method that requires low-water-use plants and helps conserve water.

A large amount of water is needed to produce a selection of common foodstuffs, like meat. Vegetables typically use less water.

A water butt is a large barrel to catch rainwater. You can use this water on your plants, and it has the added bonus of reducing your water usage and possibly even saving money on your water bills. Find out more about collecting, storing and using rainwater.  

The production, treatment and distribution of water are processes that consume large amounts of energy and contribute to our household carbon emissions. Using less water can help lower our energy consumption to lessen the impact of climate change.

Using less water won’t only help you save the planet but it’ll also reduce your water bills – especially considering that average UK water and sewage bill for homes with meters comes to £405. An agricultural drought could also damage crop yields and harvests, which in turn would affect the cost of food. 

Around 6% of UK carbon emissions come from hot water use. To reduce our carbon emissions as well as energy use and bills we need to use water more efficiently.

We can only use less than 1% of the water supply on earth as drinking water. Protecting our planet’s limited freshwater resources means we can ensure a clean and safe water supply for everyone.

Many aquatic mammals need adequate levels of water to survive in lakes, rivers and wetlands. It’s essential to be mindful of our water consumption to maintain a balanced ecosystem.