It’s no secret that gas and electricity prices are going up at rapid rates this winter and that most families will need to be saving money wherever possible. Water prices have also been on the rise with a 1.7% increase earlier this year so keeping water usage to a minimum is going to be important to many families over the next few months.

Reducing our water usage is beneficial for many reasons, not just financial, even if that will be the main reason most families will be looking to save. As the world’s population grows, so does our water demand. It’s no secret that fresh water is a very limited resource with a miniscule amount of water available being safely drinkable. There is also the environmental impact we need to consider. If we are more mindful about how much water we’re using, it will reduce the amount of stress we put on our lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Saving water preserves the habitats for all wildlife and helps to restore and protect valuable ecosystems that are under threat.

Still, the main reason will be to save money for most. The average person unknowingly wastes up to 30 gallons of water every day (Source : Washington State Department Of Health) from bad habits or leaky taps and this can have a major impact on your usage and your bills. In order to save money and reduce your water use, there are several things you can do. These vary from bad habit fixing to keeping an eye on dodgy appliances to making conscious decisions about your water use.

1. Reduce shower time and avoid baths

It’s been said for a long time that showers are cheaper than baths. It takes less time to heat the water up and uses less water overall. A typical 10-minute shower will use about half of the water that a bath will take up. If you want to make a real saving, you could also reduce your shower time by half by setting a timer. This will save you money on water and energy rates.

2. Check for leaks and drips

Keeping an eye on leaky taps and leaky loos can help save you a lot of money. You can usually handle repairs yourself so a callout to a plumber may not even be necessary and even if it is, it’ll save you money over time anyway. A leaky appliance might not seem like a big deal until you consider that a single dripping tap can waste 15 litres of water a day, or a leaking loop can waste an average of around 400 litres of water a day. If you suspect a leaky tap, you can follow our leak detection guide to help you identify the leak.

3. Avoid water bad habits

Turning off the tap while doing things like brushing your teeth is one of the easiest ways to save water at home. You could also reduce how much water you use while washing the pots and keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of constantly waiting for the tap water to get cold. By doing these things, you can save a lot of water without really realising it.

4. Get a dual-flush toilet
You can reduce your toilet’s water consumption by more than half by investing in a dual-flush toilet. Reducing the amount of times you do a full flush (6 litres) by using half flushes (3 litres) can greatly reduce your water usage and dual-flush toilets are generally a more eco-friendly option. Though it must be said that dual-flush toilets have their own issues and qwerks so it’s important to read up on them before making a switch.

5. Fit a water meter

It’s estimated that households which have a water meter save around 30 litres of water per person. In addition, there is much more incentive to be more water-wise when you see how much you are actually paying. You can keep better track of your water usage and it can actually help you fix some of those bad habits mentioned earlier. If you see a spike, you can check against your household behaviour to see if there was a pattern or if you might have a leak.

Your local water company can fit it for free and will often give you the option to switch back within 2 years if you don’t see that you’re saving money.

6. Fully load your dishwasher and washing machine

An all too common habit is loading the dishwasher or washing machine with a few items just to get them out of the way. This is a massive waste of water that you could easily save by just doing bigger washes. Make the most of each load by sticking in a few extra plates or shirts to cut out any unnecessary washes in between, reduce your water wastage and to lower your energy bill. Stick to a daily or weekly plan to maximise usage and reduce overuse.

7. Get a water-saving showerhead

As well as taking shorter showers, you can save even more water by investing in specific types of showers and showerheads. Aerated showerheads work by mixing in air with water, feeling like a regular shower, but with super saving benefits. You will only use around 6 litres of water per minute, compared to the 12 litres of a normal showerhead.

8. Avoid using the pressure washer

As convenient as pressure washers are, they guzzle up litres of water and should only be used occasionally, or not at all. Instead, get out the trusty watering can. Yes, it means a little more elbow grease, but you can save thousands of litres of water. If you still need to use a pressure washer, buy a newer, water-efficient one.

Reducing your water usage is easy and key to reducing your bills and impact on the planet. Most of these steps require limited if any input and most are just about simple behavioural tweaks which, once you adopt, you’ll never notice you are doing anything at all.