Energy-saving around the house – Water

Posted by Andi
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In this instalment of the series “energy saving around the house” we’re going to take a look at a less obvious culprit of energy-wasting, water. Although you may not know it, recycling our water takes a humongous amount of energy and we all still end up paying for it through our water rates bill. So, in this article, we’re going to take a look at some ways to save water, and at how that can save you money on your water bills.

One of the most prominent effects of climate change is the changes to the weather, making it harder to predict. Despite the UK’s reputation for having a rainy climate, we capture far less rainfall than is necessary to sustain our rate of water usage and our reliance on rainfall can only last for so long as we are experiencing more frequent states of drought across Europe. In fact, 12 out of the 23 water companies operating in areas of England are rated as being under ‘serious’ stress.

Saving Water at Home

It is because of this that we rely so heavily on our water treatment plants to recycle used water for future use. However, this comes at the price of having to pump the water to and from the plants, store it and treat it. All of which costs energy. It is, therefore, no surprise that Scottish Water is the biggest user of electricity in Scotland. Seeing as our population is still growing, our predicted water usage is suspected to increase to a state where we will need to impose permanent water rationing. Currently, the average household in the UK uses around 330 litres of water a day, that’s 140 litres per head, every day.   However, there are a few simple things that all of us can do around our house that can together, save massive amounts of water and help to prevent problems in the future. All while saving some money off your monthly bills, and who doesn’t want that?

To start off with our water-saving tips we are going to take a look at some old advice which still holds true today:

  • Take showers instead of baths when you can
  • Make sure your washing machines and dishwashers are full before use
  • Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth

We can’t stress enough how important this last tip is. Doing this can save up to three or four gallons of water per person per day. That is more than 1,000 gallons of water per year per person. If you want to go a step further on your water-saving journey then there are some more advanced steps that you can do to help, such as:

  • Using low flow taps
  • Changing your shower head to a more water-efficient model
  • Installing water-efficient toilets
  • Installing a rain harvesting system

All of these are low-cost steps that you can take to help to drastically cut down your water usage around your house, if you all followed these simple steps then we can help to prevent future water shortages as well as help the environment on its path to recovery.

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