Water is an essential part of our everyday lives and is also super important to our planet too, so how can we be mindful with our water consumption and also save money along the way too? 

97.5% of the world’s water is locked in seas and oceans, too salty for human use. And most of the remaining 2.5% is in the ice caps.

So we depend on the tiny bit available as fresh water – an essential natural resource for life.

We use water for drinking, we wash in it, clean with it, and use it to produce everything from clothing to food. Here are some quick and simple tips to save water and money in your homes –

• • Doing the laundry – Make sure you put a full load in the washing machine and if you have one, use the eco setting.
  • Turn taps off in between teeth brushing and other activities, try not to leave them running unnecessarily – teaching the kids to do this from a young age too can help. 
  • Boiling the kettle – only using the amount of water you need at that time, can not only reduce your water usage but also your energy usage too, as it takes longer to boil a full kettle.
  • Check for leaks – a dripping tap, leaking boiler or broken hosepipe can cost you lots of money each year and waste a lot of water too – getting them fixed or checked can not only help you save vital water but also save you money in the long term too.
  • Set a timer in the shower – having a shower uses much less water than a bath but only if they are kept short – set a timer or download a shower playlist to help you keep on track – find songs which are 4 minutes in length and jump out when they finish!
  • Fit a flushsaver to your toilet – this could save you 1.2 Litres of water with every flush.
  • Review water outlets in your house to see if you are using the most efficient options – opting for an eco shower head for example can help reduce the amount of water.
  • Dinner prep – Steam your veggies instead of boiling them to reduce the amount of water you use, this also holds more of the nutrients in your vegetables too!
  • Washing up – if you’ve got a dishwasher then make sure fill it and use it, it can save lots of water compared to doing the dishes by hand (you’ll be glad to know!)
  • Keeping hydrated – Using pre-cooled water can save lots of water as you’re not having to run the tap cold each time – at the start of each day or week, fill a jug with water and keep it in the fridge for use throughout the week. Or if your fridge is plumbed in, using the water from this is much better on water consumption.

• In the garden

• • Time your gardening – Water outdoor plants in the early morning or at the end of the day to stop water immediately evaporating in sunlight and heat. Water the soil so that the liquid goes straight to the roots, where it’s needed.
  • Use a water butt – using a water butt in your garden instead of turning to the hosepipe!
  • Reduce hose pipe usage – reducing the amount of time you use a hosepipe for can really make a difference to your water usage. If you do need to use it then using a trigger nozzle can help reduce water usage too (or if you can, don’t use one at all and opt for a watering can)
  • Keep on top of your weeding – weeds need water to grow too, by taking them out you’re reducing the amount of water used and giving more to your plants and trees.
  • Leave it out – Adding a layer of leaves, bark or compost to your flower beds helps retain moisture and reduces the need for watering as often.
  • Planting low maintenance plants can help – Plants like lavender, palms, mimosa and verbena need less water to grow

• Plumbing ready – check where your stop tap is and make sure you can turn it on and off, if you ever have a burst pipe, this can save you lots of water and money! 
• Check out your local water supplier, they often have great tips, advice and free equipment to help you save water.