Are you the type of person who dreads opening your water bill every month? You’re not alone. Every year, millions of Brits have to dig deep into their pockets to pay for their domestic water bills, which are among the highest in the world.
Luckily, there are ways to address this issue and bring down your water costs. New research from Finish, in partnership with water conservation expert Dr Ali Nazemi, shows that by making a few simple changes to everyday habits, you can save hundreds of pounds on your water bill every year.
How much domestic water do UK residents use every year?
The average domestic water consumption per person per year in the UK is 3.5 m3 (3,500 litres), according to Finish. While this figure is lower than that of many other countries, higher water costs in the UK mean that Brits are penalised more for their bad water decisions.
In fact, ignoring water-saving measures could see UK residents end up spending an average of £1,167 on water across all appliances. This is one of the highest figures in the world.
Given that water is just one of the many home utilities that Brits need to budget for every month, it’s important to find ways to reduce consumption.
How much can UK residents save on their water bills?
According to Finish and Dr Nazemi, by following a few water-saving tips (see below), residents could reduce their water spending by a whopping £303 a year!
Imagine what you could do with an extra £303 every year.
In these challenging times, it could be a valuable contribution to start an emergency fund for future unexpected expenses.
Even better, you could put the money into a stocks and shares ISA (if you can withstand a little risk) and potentially watch it grow.
How can you reduce your individual water consumption?
Here are a few tips from Dr Nazemi on how to bring down your water bill:
- Check your appliances regularly for leaks. Check your dishwasher, toilet, washing machine, showerheads and taps, and the pipes in your bathroom and kitchen.
- Switch to more efficient appliances. Efficient dishwashers, washing machines and showerheads can all help bring down your water consumption. For toilets, you could switch to a smaller flush tank or even use recycled water for flushing.
- Change a few habits. Try showering every other day rather than daily and wear your clothes more than once before you wash them.
- Never rinse your dishes under running water before you put them in the dishwater. Make a habit of scraping off food into your composting bin and then soaking them in soapy water immediately after use.
- Take shorter showers. Keep your showers as short as possible and try turning off the shower when applying soap or shampoo.
- Only use your bath as a treat. Fill it only halfway to conserve water and prevent spillage when you get in.
- Don’t let the water run when washing vegetables. Soak your veggies in water rather than running them under the tap.
- When shaving, washing your face or brushing your teeth, don’t run the tap. Only use what you need to wash or rinse.
- Use a water calculator. Gauge your overall water consumption and get personalised recommendations on how to cut back in areas where you might be using too much water.
For more tips on how to cut down your water spending, check out our article on how to reduce your water bills by £30 a year in six easy steps!
