In the Bathroom

Have a shower instead of a bath – Showers use only half the amount of water required for a bath.

Spend less time in the shower – An average shower uses 10 litres of water per minute, so taking a shorter shower will save water.

Remember to turn off the tap when brushing your teeth – A running tap can use up to six litres of water per minute.

Consider adding a toilet cistern bag to your toilet cistern to reduce the amount of water used in every flush.

In the Kitchen

Make sure your washing machine and dishwasher are always fully loaded before putting on a wash to save water and money on energy bills. When buying water-consuming appliances, it’s a good idea to check the energy efficiency label to make sure you are buying the most energy efficient appliance you can.

Use a basin in the sink – A basin is useful for washing dishes by hand or collecting the water you use to rinse fruit and vegetables, which can then be used for watering plants.

Keep a jug of water in the fridge – Waiting for a tap to run cold water to drink can waste more than 10 litres of water in a day.

Choose the correct pot or pan size for cooking and remember to use the lid on a pot or pan when cooking to reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation, meaning you don’t have to keep adding water in.

In the Garden

Use a water butt to harvest rainwater from gutters – Collect rainwater to use in your garden instead of using drinking water from the tap.

Use a rose head watering can instead of a hose to water your plants to save water. The best time of the day to water plants is close to sunrise or close to sunset in order to reduce water evaporation.

Add layers of plant material, like bark or straw, to the soil in your garden to help keep the sun off so that it can retain more water for your plants and you can save on water.

Use a bucket and sponge to wash your car – Using a hose to wash your car uses more water in one hour than the average family uses in a day.