Half of British people are concerned about their water usage and rising costs, according to brand new data revealed today. The news comes as the energy price caps as predicted to rise this Autumn, with bills increasing by up to nine per cent.
According to MyBuilder.com, the reliable way to hire tradespeople, 48 per cent of residents in the UK are mindful of the amount of water they use, and are worried about how much this costs. Women were more aware of this issue than men, with 52 per cent stating they were cautious, compared to just 43 per cent of men. The over 55s were the most cautious, with 55 per cent saying they watched what they used amid rising costs.
The research also found that nearly a fifth (18 per cent) of Brits stated that if water bills continue to rise, they will have to take action and build in water saving measures into their home. The younger demographic were most affected here, with more than a quarter (26 per cent) of 18-34 year olds admitting to having to take steps to save water when prices rise.
Recent reports suggest that water is another utility set to rise in cost in the coming months, with an increase of £94 over the next five years. Some experts claim rises will be even higher than that, as water bills have been slower to rise than others, such as gas and electricity.
For those of us on a set tariff, there’s not much we can do to prevent our bills from rising – but for those of us on a water metre, there are many clever ways we can minimise our water use.
MyBuilder.com has provided its top tips on how to save water in your home. From changing your washing habits, to clever recycling tips, these hacks save money while also protecting the environment and reducing wastage.
Mike Flook, a plumbing expert from MyBuilder.com, said that many Brits waste far more water than they realise.
“Sustainable plumbing in our bathrooms and kitchens is a great way to reduce wastage and have efficient systems, but clever recycling and simple habits can also help lower water costs.
“While it might not always seem cost effective to invest in products that save water, if you’re looking to change anyway, or you plan to stay in your home for several years, it’s worth considering.
“Installing a new shower head, for example, or leak detection strips, can be a simple and reasonably priced job that can make a real difference.”
MyBuilder.com’s tips include:
Fix leaks
We can get used to dripping taps, leaking pipes, toilets with their flush running, or leaking radiators. However, these sort of issues will lead to an increased water bill – as well as potential damage to your home. For example, the lowest cost possible is a slow dripping tap with low water pressure, but this can still cost you £7.20 a year, while a serious leak can potentially cost thousands should it cause serious damage. Get a tradesperson in to fix these niggling issues – not only will it save you money but it will improve your home.
Spend less time in the shower (and take a shower instead of a bath)
A simple way to save water is to switch to short showers over baths. A full bathtub of 1,700 x 700 mm needs around 135L to 165L to be full, while taking a five-minute shower uses just 10 to 25 gallons. Many people can reduce their shower times even further, with every minute you shorten it saving 900 gallons of water per year. If you struggle to know how long you’ve been in the shower, consider getting a shower timer installed. For a more permanent solution, consider installing a low flow shower head. These products push less water out through the head, saving you water every time you shower. Available from most hardware stores, these are reasonably priced products that are quick for a plumber to install.
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth
While there is no sensible reason to leave the tap running while we brush our teeth, many of us fall into this wasteful habit. Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water a day. That adds up to more than 200 gallons a month. Water efficient taps are also worth installing. Similar to low flow showerheads, these work by using an aerator to add air to the water, therefore using less water while maintaining good pressure. These are available for any type of tap and can save a significant amount of water.
Install pressure reducing valves
Many of our homes could work perfectly fine with lower water pressure, but are automatically set to a higher setting than we need. Installing pressure reducing valves when needed can save you water and maintain the health of your pipes.
Reuse “grey” water
It’s all too simple to just let used water run down the plughole, but it’s extremely wasteful as much of it can be used for other purposes. Bath water, cooking water, or excess water used for cleaning can be used around the garden or for your lawn. A four-member household generates 360 litres of greywater (90 litres per person per day), so try and repurpose where you can, to save money and the environment.
Get a water butt to collect rainwater
Water butts can be a really great way to catch rainwater and use it around your home and garden. They are readily available to buy, with prices starting at just £20 and can be attached by a tradesperson to your house, shed, garage or any other garden building that has a gutter and a downpipe. It is estimated that on average around 24,000 litres of water can be saved from each house roof every year by collecting rainwater this way.
Change your kitchen habits
Simple bad habits like overfilling the kettle or running a barely full dishwasher can waste gallons of water. Boil just the water you need – not only will this save your water consumption but also your energy bills. Boiling just enough water for a single cuppa takes about 45 seconds in a 3kW kettle- which will cost you 1.28p. Using those same average figures, a 1.7l capacity kettle takes around four minutes to boil, at a cost of 6.8p. Therefore you can save around 5p each time to make a brew for one if measuring one cup instead of boiling a full kettle. Similarly, average dishwashers are likely to use up around 10 litres of water in a cycle. Prices are always set to fluctuate with time, but currently, it would cost around 4p in water to wash your dishes. Electricity costs around 34p per kWh, so a 2-hour cycle would cost just over 54 pence. Therefore if you only half-fill your dishwasher, you are wasting 27p per cycle.
