Eco-Plumbing

Easy ways to save water

A third of water used in the home is unnecessarily flushed down the toilet. Contact your local water authority for a free hippo – a water saving device which fits in your toilet cistern and can save up to 3 litres of water per flush. Or simply put a house brick into the water cistern…this simple act will save you hundreds of litres each year.

http://www.eca-water.gov.uk/ - Save water AND Save tax at the same time
http://www.hygienesuppliesdirect.com - Water saving devices for home or office

• When you next buy taps, buy taps with a champagne spray – they use much less water
• If you are installing a new toilet, get one with a dual flush
• Have dripping taps fixed
• If water is coming out of your overflow, get the ball cock fixed
• Don't run the tap while you clean your teeth
• Buy a water butt to collect rainwater for watering the garden

Water

We use around 155 litres of water each day on average, which is 70% more than 30 years ago. That's around 1600 pints of water a week each. (Source: Yorkshire Water - Water Efficient Garden; Bristol Water - Water Wizard; and others)

In the home

A single washing machine cycle uses up to 100 litres of water (22 gallons) - and the average family uses their washing machine five times a week . That's 26,000 litres (5,720 gallons) in a year. (Source: Southern Water website)
The average family uses the equivalent of two baths of water per day when flushing the toilet.(Source: Save-a-flush) - so install a water saving device in your toilet cistern

One drip per second wastes around 1200 litres of water in a year; that's around 4 litres a day; and 90 litres of water if the drips are breaking into a stream.(Source: Environment Agency - Water Wise)

Running the tap can use 10-14 litres of water a minute – which would give enough for a small bath in just 5 minutes. (Source: Environment Agency - Water Wise)
i.so make sure you mend any dripping taps, and turn off taps when not in use
ii.and turn off the tap when brushing your teeth

Washing a mug under a running tap uses about a litre of water; six mugs use about the same as a whole bowl of washing up.(Source:Bristol Water plc)

A single washing machine cycle uses up to 100 litres of water (22 gallons) - and the average family uses their washing machine five times a week . That's 26,000 litres (5,720 gallons) in a year.
(Source: Southern Water website)

Only use the washing machine or dishwasher when you have a full load. If you have an economy cycle, then use this. (Source:Watersmart)

A full load in the washing machine uses less water than two half loads.
(Source: Thames Water website)

Take showers, not baths and save enough water each week for 1000 cups of tea. (Source: DETR)

A third of an average family's water use is flushed down the toilet (Source: Save-a-flush)
The average family uses the equivalent of two baths of water per day when flushing the toilet.(Source: Save-a-flush)

So install a water saving device in your toilet cistern. Installing a water meter can save you water and money by monitoring how much you use. (Source: Thames Water website)

20-25% of domestic energy consumed is used to heat water in the kitchen and bathroom.(Source: Environment Agency - Using Water Wisely)

So if you try to be more efficient when showering, bathing and washing up, you can save even more money...

Outside

In half an hour, a garden sprinkler uses as much water as a family of four in a day.(Source: DETR)

A garden sprinkler uses 1,000 litres of water an hour - that's nearly one pint for every 2 seconds it is in operation.(Source: Southern Water website)

Once a week is all the water your lawn needs even in the hottest weather. Over-watering can weaken your lawn by encouraging roots to seek the surface.(Source: Thames Water website)

Using a hose to wash your car wastes up to 300 litres or 33 bucketsful of water.(Source: Southern Water website)

By 2080 annual rainfall in England and Wales will have increased by 0-10%; in Scotland by 5-20%. However, there will be reductions in summer rainfall over much of England and Wales by 10-20%, when demand is also at its highest.(Source: UK Climate Impacts Programme - Climate Scenario Report)

The probability of summer rainfall being less than half of required levels could increase from once every century to once every 10 years. (Source: UK Climate Impacts Programme - Climate

Energy & Water

General Information

Through energy use the average home emits more harmful CO2 gas than the average car. (Source: ETSU)

The average household spends approximately £400 on energy bills during the winter (Oct-Mar) - about a third more than an energy efficient home. (Source : ETSU)

By turning down your thermostat by 1o centigrade, or using one hour less heating a day, you could cut your fuel bills by 10%. (Source: BRECSU)

Installing loft insulation to a depth of at least 15cm (6 inches) can save around 20% of your heating costs. (Source: EST)

A garden sprinkler uses 1,000 litres of water an hour - that's nearly one pint for every 2 seconds it is in operation.(Source: Southern Water website)

Up to 20% of heat lost from a home can be through windows. Double-glazing can reduce this loss by up to 50%. (Source: ETSU)

Using just one energy saving light bulb could save you £5 a year, and if every household installed one, we could power the lighting currently used in 2 million homes for a year. (Source: DETR).