Doable

There are many things that you can do to help reduce your water usage. Currently we use 150 litres of water per person per day, or one tonne of water per week according to Defra.  In many developing countries water consumption is less than 10 litres per person per day.  This is a huge volume and we need to take further steps to reduce this.

Things you can do at home:

• Take a (non-power) shower instead of a bath – a 5 minute shower uses only a third of the water needed for a bath.  But a power shower will use more than a bath in less than 5 minutes.
• Use water-efficient appliances.  Machines with grade ‘A’ ratings are the most efficient.
• Upgrade your plumbing to fix drips, fit aerator or spray ends to washbasin taps and fit lagging on your outside pipes to avoid burst pipes and leaks in winter.
• Save water in your garden
• Even in the hottest weather your lawn only needs to be watered once a week.
• Getting a water butt will mean you can collect rain water for use in your garden.
• Don’t overwater your plants – some need dry conditions to thrive.
• Sprinklers are extremely water-inefficient.  A sprinkler can use as much water in an hour as a family of four use in a day.
• Don’t brush your teeth with the tap running – this wastes almost 9 litres a minute.
• Don’t do a clothes wash unless you have a full load – a half load uses more than half the amount of water and energy of a full one.  And when you do a wash make it on the economy cycle.
• Fit a water-saving device such as a Hippo into your cistern and save up to 3litres a flush.
• Fill your kettle only up to the point you need – this will reduce energy bills too.
• If you are buying a new toilet, install a low-flush or dual-flush toilet.  If not, then installing a water displacement device is a good idea.  These are available from local water companies.)

For advice on how you can help the University reduce it’s water use on campus, go to the Water Conservation page.