It is important to look at ways in which we can reduce water consumption in our homes as this could mean that we can reduce our water bill.

Also, we will help the environment as according the Environment Agency water is becoming a precious resource which is not as widely available as we like to think it is. They therefore recommend that we should all look at ways to save water in our homes and detailed below are five of the top recommended ways in which we can do this.

Tip 1 – Turn off taps

We need to be vigilant when running the taps as it has been found that nine litres of water can be saved per minute by doing so. Some water saving tips include instead of running the tap and waiting for cold water for a drink we should fill up a water jug and cool it down in the fridge for use as our drinking water.

Also, instead of washing our fruit and vegetables under a running tap we should fill a bowl of water and wash them in here. However, if we do need to run the taps we should capture the running water and use it for other means such as watering plants.

We should also check that we don’t have any dripping taps in our homes as this can account of a lot of water wastage. Therefore, mending any dripping taps is essential in helping to save water.

Tip 2 – Use less water in the toilet cistern

Research shows that we flush away as much water in a day as we drink in an entire month. Therefore, when looking to replace our toilet we should replace it with a water efficient toilet. However, if we aren’t looking to replace our toilet there are some displacement devices on the market to reduce the amount of water we use to flush the toilet and we should purchase these to make significant water savings.

Tip 3 – Take shorter showers and consider the amount of baths you take

It is common to assume that taking a shower is much more water efficient than having a bath, but new high pressured showers within five minutes can use more water than if you had a bath. It is therefore recommended that we take shorter showers or look to fit our showerheads with a flow regulator to stop overuse of water. In respects of taking a bath it is felt that baths can take up to 80 litres of water, so the number of baths taken per week needs to be considered and reduced if possible to save water.

Tip 4 – Ensure appliances are fully loaded

When using household appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines we should make sure that they are full before we start the cleaning cycle. It has been suggested that dishwashers are more water efficient than washing by hand but this is only the case if the dishwasher is full. Also, again ensure washing machines have a full load as a full load will use less water than two half loads.

Tip 5 – Consider capturing greywater or rainwater

Any water that has been used in the home (apart from the water used to flush the toilet) is called greywater and we should look at ways to capture and use this water. For example, this water can be reused in garden or can even be used for flushing the toilet or washing the car. Also, you can capture the rainwater through a water butt and reuse the water for similar household activities.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

Many people see water as our planet’s most valuable resource and I agree with them. Here in the UK we often appear to have bucketloads of water but do we really? In modern day life it is estimated that we use an average of 150 litres daily which is around 32 gallons. That’s a staggering amount when you consider just how precious it is.

Installing both a water meter at your home plus one of the new revolutionary rainwater harvesting systems now on the market can help save you money and the environment. Your local water company will often install a water meter free of charge which is your first financial saving. That’s a good start.

A good rainwater harvesting system can collect water for you to use in running washing machines, flushing toilets as well as showers, baths and even dishwashers. This could save you a lot of money each year if coupled with a water meter.

But what about the grey dirty water you might ask. Any body who can recall the early water collection systems is right. Rainwater harvesting used to result in grey, unappealing water in your WC and it wasn’t advisable to wash your clothes in such water.

Not anymore however. New rainwater systems are very advanced and the water that they yield is extremely clean. Although not fit to drink this water can be used for all the things you previously was paying for drinking water to do.

Water is collected from the roof area as before and goes through a self cleaning filter system before being stored in an underground tank. Such a tank will keep the water cool and safe from tampering but if this is not possible modern overground tanks are now more unobstrusive and can even be wall mounted. Current rainwater harvesting systems employ inlet calmers which ensures that newly collected water being added to the system does not disturb any sediment in the tank. It keeps the water flow into the tank at a rate which allows sediment to remain at the bottom. New tanks now have a floating submersible pump which takes any required water through a floating suction filter. The water from a modern rainwater harvesting system is clean and debris free.

There are several ways to distribute your collected water to your required appliances throughout your home. Gravity feed where the water is stored at such an elevated position as to allow it to fall under gravity to anywhere in your home. A pump feed where obviously extra energy is required to pump water when and where it is needed and finally a header tank where water is initially pumped to the storage tank and from where it can use gravity to feed your home.

Once you begin to investigate the new rainwater harvesting systems out there you can find yourself marvelling at both the technology involved and at how much you can save. Such systems are not cheap but first ask about a water meter to see just how much water you are using daily and start from there.

Guest Article by Caz Williams