• Wait until you have a full load before using your dishwasher or washing machine
• If you swill off the dishes before you put them in the dishwasher, this will add to the total water you use
• When buying new machines choose water efficient models. You may also save on energy costs, as they are likely to be more energy efficient

• Use a bowl when washing up instead of a running tap. You can save about five litres of water per wash in this way
• Wait until you have enough dirty dishes to fill your bowl

Wash and prepare food in a bowl rather than under a running tap. This water can then be recycled for use in the garden.

Waste disposal units use a lot of water to wash away food waste. You can make better use of this waste, and save lots of water at the same time, by putting your fruit and vegetable peelings on a compost heap.

• Running a tap until the water is cold wastes about four litres each time. Keep a jug of water in the fridge or collect this water and use it for something else, such as houseplants, or garden watering
• Only fill the kettle with the water you need, ensuring the element is fully covered

A dripping tap can waste enough water in a day to fill a bath. Replace tap washers when they become worn. 

On average, baths use more water than showers.

A full bath uses around 80 litres of water, so run less water for the bath or take a four-minute shower.

It’s easy to save water when bathing by remembering:

• On average baths use more water than showers
• Power showers use almost twice as much water as gravity-fed showers
• Keeping showers to four minutes or less will ensure you don’t let excessive water run to waste. To help you keep track, use a shower timer
• Fix an aerating showerhead

Gravity-fed showers
Four minutes in a gravity-fed shower uses about 35 litres of water.

Power showers
Four minutes in a power shower uses about 70 litres.

Baths
A full bath uses around 80 litres of water.

Around a quarter of the water we use in the home is used to flush the toilet. How much water your toilet uses will depend on the size of the cistern.

• Most modern toilets have a dual flush toilet cistern and these are water efficient
• If your toilet is older, you can reduce the amount of water used by fitting a Hippo or Save-a-Flush device. These are simple devices which reduce the capacity of the toilet cistern, therefore using less water for each flush. You can order a free Hippo or Save-a-flush device
• When replacing a toilet, look for low flush or dual flush models

Leaky loos are one of the most common causes of unexpectedly high water use, but aren’t easy to spot as the water just dribbles away down the pan, so they often go unnoticed.

A single leaky loo can waste up to 400 litres of water a day – the equivalent of five full bathtubs.

How to spot a leaky loo
If you can hear water flowing when the toilet has not been flushed, or if you can see a constant trickle at the back of the toilet pan, you may have a leaky loo.

Wait until 30 minutes after the last flush, then wipe the back of the pan dry with toilet tissue.

Place a new, dry sheet of toilet tissue across the back of the pan. Leave it in place for up to three hours without using the toilet. This may be best to do overnight.

If the paper is wet or torn in the morning, you have a leaky loo.

If you do have a leak and need a plumber, you can find an approved plumber here.

• Remember to turn off the tap while brushing. This could save up to six litres of water a minute
• Using a glass to hold a small amount of water for rinsing your mouth will also help save water 

Grey water is wastewater from showers, baths, and wash basins. If treated correctly, it can be used for flushing the toilet, watering gardens and washing cars, helping to cut down water consumption by more than a third.

The use of grey water technologies in our homes is still in its infancy. This is because the cost of fitting such systems is high and there are concerns that the quality of the water may pose a health risk.  

While grey water from baths, showers and basins is usually clean enough for flushing toilets, bacteria can soon build up when nutrient-rich wastewater is left untreated for a period of time.

To prevent bacteria levels from building up, it is advisable to only have a small storage tank, which in turn can cause problems for providing a reliable supply during periods of low rainfall.

Grey water recycling systems can now be purchased from many outlets, such as DIY stores.

Damp patches in or outside the property, lush vegetation in dry periods or running water may indicate leaking pipes.

If left over a long period of time, a leak can cause damage to your property (and affect your bills if you're on a water meter).

Find out more about leaks.

Never water in the heat of the day - most will evaporate and if it’s sunny you run the risk of scorching your plants. It’s better to water in the evening or early morning.

• Make a little dam of earth around each plant to make sure the water goes directly to the roots
• Long, slow drinks in the first few weeks encourage roots to grow down and will produce plants that can look after themselves in hot weather
• Only water plants that need it. Some plants, even root vegetables, will survive on very little water. Potatoes and broad beans only need water when they are filling out, however, lettuces, tomatoes and marrows will need water throughout the season
• Collect rainwater in a water butt. The average roof collects 85,000L of rain a year, that's enough for 450 water butts! You can get a water butt from most DIY stores
• If possible, avoid using sprinklers and hosepipes
• If you do use a hosepipe, ensure it is fitted with a trigger nozzle that will stop the flow of water when you release it
• Consider using an irrigation system that will deliver water directly to your plants

• Reduce the number of pots and hanging baskets as these all need frequent watering
• Instead, use larger pots and make sure they are well mulched and contain water-retentive crystals
• Place a container underneath to capture any excess water

• Grow suitable drought-tolerant plants as these need little watering
• Edible perennials, such as rhubarb, asparagus, artichokes and green leafy vegetables are also more resilient to weather changes
• Look out for grey-leaved plants, such as lavender, sages or those with fat leaves that can store water, such as sedums, as these are more tolerant to dry conditions

• Maintaining your garden will ensure water is not wasted on dead, diseased or damaged plants
• Dead-head flowering plants to encourage new growth and remove any rotten or dead wood
• The Chelsea Chop (so called because it is done around the time of the flower show at the end of May) involves cutting back by half, plants such as phlox, chrysanthemums, asters, rudbeckia, echinacea and helenium to reduce transpiration and encourage them to make bushier plants
• Pull weeds out when the shoots first appear, before they compete with your plants for precious water

Ensure pools and ponds are watertight as topping them up can use a lot of water. If possible, try and keep pools covered to prevent evaporation.

Instead of using a hosepipe or pressure washer, use a bucket when shampooing your car and a watering can when rinsing off the soap.

If you need to use a hosepipe, ensure it’s fitted with a trigger nozzle that will stop the flow of water when it is released.

Introduce water saving information, or arrange a water efficiency day, to increase awareness of the importance of using water wisely.

Claim your free water-efficiency devices.

• Use a dishwasher instead of washing up plates and mugs separately
• Run a bowl of water rather than let it run to waste down the plug
• Make sure appliances use low water or are ECO models
• A water cooler will give employees direct access to cold water rather than having to run a tap

• Taps - a dripping tap can waste a lot of water. Change the washer immediately. Spray taps, push top taps or taps with infra-red controls can reduce consumption by up to half
• Urinal flushing - automatic flushing of urinals can waste large quantities of water. Using a control device can reduce consumption by 70%, ensuring that flushing stops when the premises are not in use. If you are replacing outdated equipment, waterless urinals are now available
• Toilet flushing - low-flush toilets use between four and six litres per flush. Older toilets can use up to 13 litres per flush. If you have an older cistern, try a water saving device such as a 'Hippo' or a 'Save-a-Flush' bag. This will save between one litre and three litres per flush
• Showers - on average, standard gravity-fed showers use 30 litres per shower, while power showers use 60 litres. Aerating showerheads can help reduce water use by up to 50%

• Hosepipes and sprinklers – these can use 1,000 litres per hour so keep grass watering to a minimum Fitting a trigger nozzle to a hosepipe ensures water stops flowing as soon as it is released
• Water butts - consider collecting rainwater in a tank or butt and using it for watering plants and shrubs When landscaping, try to select plants and shrubs that are tolerant of dry conditions
• Vehicle washing - when washing vehicles or equipment consider recycling water

• Stop taps - locate your inside and outside stop tap and ensure a number of people know where they are located. In the event of an emergency, check that you can turn them on and off
• Meters - find and regularly read your meters and sub meters. Make someone responsible for reading meters either weekly or monthly. A marked increase in water usage may indicate a leak
• Protect against frost - make sure all hot and cold water pipes and tanks are insulated, especially in unheated areas of the premises. Insulating hot water pipes can also reduce fuel bills

Tell-tale signs to help you spot leaks:

• Damp patches in or outside the property
• Lush vegetation in dry periods may be indications of leaking pipes
• Leaking toilets
• Leaking overflow systems

Metered customers

If your meter reading or bill is unusually high it may indicate you have a leak. You can use your meter to check if you have a leak on the pipework after the meter:

1. Turn off all taps
2. Find your water meter and take a reading (including the red digits)
3. Do not use any water for a length of time (e.g. overnight or while you are out for the day).
4. Read the meter again

If the second reading is higher than the first there may be a leak. 

Find out more about searching for leaks and what to do