Use these tips to save water

In the bathroom

• Think shower power. A five minute shower uses a third less water than a bath
• Sprung a leak? Check with food colouring - if it seeps from your toilet tank into the bowl, then yep you’ve got a leak. Get a plumber to fix it and save up to 13,785 litres a month.
• With water it’s about being a turn off, not a turn on. So whether you’re washing your hair, your hands or brushing your teeth - turn off the tap.
• Be a careful flusher. Only flush when you really need too.
• Be quick about it. Cut a minute or two from your shower with a timer and save up to 568 litres a month.
• Fit a water-efficient Showerhead. You’ll be saving up to 2,800 litres a month with minimum effort.
• Get water by the bucket load; just keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up.
• Splash out on a BathBuoy. Our innovative bath toy makes saving water child’s play.
• Put a plug in it – then adjust the water’s temperature while the bath fills up.
• When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go. So fit a Cistern Water Saver and save up to three litres with every flush.

In the Kitchen

• Stack up those dirty dishes – in your dishwasher that is. Our efficient dishwashers use 10% of the water used for washing-up in the sink.
• Plants aren’t fussy, just thirsty, so give them a drink with water used to rinse fruit and veg, as well as from saucepans (cooled of course).
• For those things that do need to be washed in the sink, use a bowl and boil the kettle instead of warming up the hot tap by leaving it to run.
• Ting! Zap frozen food in the microwave, or plan ahead by defrosting it overnight in the fridge.
• Fill ‘em before you run ‘em. Only run a full washing machine and dishwasher.
• Hot day? For cold water on tap, that’s not on tap, fill bottles or jugs of water in the fridge and glug away.
• Give your fruit and vegetables a soak. Rinse food in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
• Dry sweep your kitchen floor and only mop up messy spots rather than the whole floor. In fact, just mop once a week and put your feet up.
• Be exact. Fill your kettle with the amount of water you need.
• Fit a Tap Aerator. They don’t cost much, are easy to install and you’ll save water every time you turn on the tap.

Around the House

• Drip, drip, drip. Get your taps in tip top condition: one dripping tap can waste 5,000 litres a year.
• Make a clean sweep; tidy your driveway with a broom.
• Make your pipes cosy. Insulation will get you hot water faster and avoid wasting water while it heats up.
• Don’t forget outside. Check outdoor taps, sprinklers and hoses for leaks.
• Install a Water Meter. Find out if it’s right for you in our handy guide to water meters.
• Get hands on. Use a sponge and bucket to clean your car.
• It might sound a bit fishy, but recycle the nutrient-rich water from your fish tank to keep your house plants happy.
• No hose? Don’t fret, get yourself a water efficient Hand Pump Pressure Washer instead.
• Find the right appliance. Our water saving washing machines use no more than 45 litres per wash compared to 151 litres used by most machines.
• Be cool. Don’t set your thermostat too high and you won’t need to add cold water to cool really hot water down.

In the Garden

• Butt in. Collect water (when it does rain) in a Water Butt and use it in your garden and for cleaning your car.
• Multi-task. Wash your car or pets on the lawn, or put the sprinkler out for the kids and quench the grass while you’re there.
• Be an early bird or a night owl. Watering your garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler minimizes evaporation.
• Give thirsty containers and pots a helping hand; gels keep the moisture locked in.
• Spread it about a bit – mulch that is. A layer of mulch around plants retains moisture.
• Missing your hose? Our water efficient Hand Pump Pressure Washer has a fine jet, perfect for watering the garden.
• Hoe, hoe hoe. Hoeing is jolly good for stimulating plant growth, reducing water loss and removing weeds.
• Bury ice cubes under the soil in hanging baskets, planters and pots to give your plants a cool drink of water and stop water overflowing.
• Let it grow. Dormant grass only needs watering every three weeks, less if it rains. If you can’t resist mowing, use a high setting so roots stay moist in the shade.