Save Water, Save Money

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Having such a wet, cold summer means no one in Pembrokeshire is subject to a hosepipe ban. But despite what feels like almost endless rain, we are probably all wasting water – and if water is metered, that costs money.

According to a recent study, some of us are adding up to £300 to our water bills each year by failing to observe a few simple issues.

How long do you stay in the shower? Apparently 38 per cent of us admit to long, steamy soakings. I am not one of them. I am more your get-in-scrub-and-get-out kind of gal, but I would still consider this your choice. If you enjoy luxuriating under jets of hot water, the cost might be worth it for you.

However, 34 per cent of us apparently leave the tap on while cleaning our teeth. That doesn’t sound like its benefiting anyone and is costing around £37 a year.

Do you fill the kettle to the brim for one cup of tea or rinse plates before putting them in the dishwasher? If you do, you could be seeing even bigger increases in your water bill on top of the expected rise of 49 per cent we will likely experience by 2030, according to Ofwat.

Fixing leaks is of course common sense, but fitting a dual-flush toilet and a long-flow shower could save £94 a year.  Save three minutes on your shower time and you could be saving £61 a year. That would probably mean my giving up showers altogether but some of us do love that steamy soak.

The bathroom takes up 68 per cent of water usage in most homes with 22 per cent in the kitchen, so use a bowl to wash dishes or make sure dishwashers are carrying a full load before switching them on.

Out of doors we are advised to use a watering can, as a hosepipe can use 1,000 litres of water each hour. That is apparently the equivalent of around 12 baths.

Mulching to avoid evaporation, and choosing drought-resistant plants are also advisable in the garden.

Water may be falling out of the sky like we could be needing an Ark soon, but that water is not free. Far from it.