Join our water saving mission
Every business and household should introduce water efficient changes to make sure collectively we save water. Using water wisely and cutting down on the amount of water you use in your home and at work will reduce the amount of climate-changing greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
Did you know: The average person in the UK uses 152 litres of water each day.
Check out our 28 top water saving tips on how to reduce your water consumption at work and in your home:
- Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth, it's a small change but it can save 6 litres of water per minute.
- Take a shorter shower. Reducing your shower from 10 minutes to 4, will save more than 300 litres of water every week – almost the same as two full baths! Consider getting an egg timer to track your time.
- Consider getting an aerated shower head for work or home. This nifty contraption puts an upper limit on flow rates to reduce your water usage.
- Turn off running water while shaving. Fill the sink with warm water to rinse your razor.
- Got a leaky loo? One of the biggest culprits for wasting water is leaking toilets. 1 in 10 toilets has a leak and could be increasing your water bills without you noticing, especially if your business has lots of toilets.
- Get a cistern displacement device for your toilet, they only cost a couple of pounds but can save 3 litres per flush. If you have lots of toilets in your business, then it can result in long-term savings for your bills.
- Your turn to do the washing up? Don’t leave the water running for rinsing as you’ll be pouring money down the drain. Fill up a separate bowl for rinsing or place all the washed dishes on a dish rack and rinse them with a pan of water.
- Have or considering getting a dishwasher? A dishwasher can reduce water usage compared to washing dishes by hand. Look for the models that have a quick wash, eco or low water mode. But always fully load your dishwasher – this cuts out unnecessary washes in between.
- Always use full loads in your washing machine. Whether you're in work or home, avoid small loads to prevent more frequent washing.
- Work in the food industry or like to spend time in the kitchen at home? Running water to wash food like vegetables can waste hundreds of litres of water, why not fill a bowl of water to use instead?
- Brewing up in work? Make a round of cuppas for you and your colleagues. It will save both water and energy compared to making separate brews. Create a brew rota to prevent any arguments.
- Fill up a jug with tap water and leave in the fridge. This can be done at home and in the office preventing you from leaving the tap running every time you want a cold glass of water.
- Got a dripping tap? Whether it’s a leaky loo or a dripping tap make sure you flag it. Did you know that this can waste hundreds of litres of water a day? Check and fix any leaky taps, it could save you money on your water bills.
- Are your business water bills increasing and you don’t know why? You may have an underground leak which could result in a burst pipe - get in touch with your retailer to investigate this.
- If you’ve a lot of sinks in your workplace, why not consider installing motion sensor taps? This prevents them from being left on, potentially saving thousands of litres of water.
- Consider placing signs above taps reminding people to turn them off after use. If you’ve lots of sinks at work, it could make a huge difference to your bills.
- Are you a hairdresser? We know water is part of your daily job but consider turning off the water while working in hair treatments. Your client will get the same excellent service, but it’ll reduce your water usage.
- Work in the hospitality sector? Do you know how much water your cleaners are using? Review the processes of your cleaners and see if there’s any methods they could tweak to reduce their usage.
- Identify water saving champions in your workplace and recognise their achievements. This will encourage other staff to follow suit and therefore drive down your usage and bills.
- Thought about installing a water meter? They can help customers save money on their bills and itemised bills encourages the bill payer to not waste any water.
- Consider installing a water butt in your garden. It means you can use rainwater to clean your windows and floors as well as water indoor plants and outdoor garden areas.
- Whether gardening is your career or hobby, water your garden out of hours. Did you know that early morning or late in the evening is the best time to water your garden as it’s when less water is lost through evaporation?
- Whether at home or at work, use a watering can instead of a hosepipe to water your garden, it can help you save thousands of litres of water.
- Planning to water the garden? When you’re watering plants, it doesn’t need to come straight from the tap – used water from the bath is a perfectly safe and economical way to water your garden.
- Only water your lawn when it needs it instead of on a regular basis, this will reduce your water usage whilst keeping your grass healthy. To test if it needs watering, step on some grass, if it springs back up when you move your foot then it doesn’t need it.
- Are you green fingered or working as a gardener? Mulching your plants using bark chippings, compost or straw can retain moisture in the soil, therefore reducing how much you must water your garden.
- Work at a car wash or like to clean your car at home? Switch the hosepipe off when washing your car and use a bucket of soapy water.
- Avoid using a hosepipe to clean pavements and steps – use a brush instead.
As climate change experts predict more extreme weather patterns, with wetter winters and drier summers, saving water has never been more important. As the demand for water increases year on year, finding ways of making a saving, in both water and financial terms, can only be positive.
