WHILE the rain might have returned this week, it has been a very dry June – and that puts pressure on water supplies.
Thames Water says there are some simple things people can do to help save money and conserve water.
The firm reckons the average household could save more than £100 on energy and water bills over the course of a year.
Its research suggests the average length of a shower is seven-and-a-half minutes, using 27,375 litres of water, and costing more than £270.
But cutting back to a four-minute shower will halve water use – and costs.
Those who prefer to soak in the tub could also benefit from a big saving by swapping from bath to shower.
A daily bath costs over double that of a daily shorter shower* tallying up to more than £300 a year, meaning customers who make the swap, could save more than half on their yearly water and energy bills.
Andrew Tucker, Thames Water’s water demand manager said: “Reducing your daily water use is a great way to save on household bills – and simple swaps can make a big difference when it comes to your bathroom habits.
“When looking at daily use, shaving your shower down to four minutes, could save you as a much as £127 a year across both your water and energy bills.
“You could also reduce your annual water use by around 12,775 litres.”
And with the warm weather continuing, Thames Water wants customers to use water wisely outside of the home.
“Water belongs to everyone, and we want people to enjoy it, we really do. As temperatures rise, we know many of our customers will be keen to get outside, whether that’s to catch-up on gardening or to entertain the kids,” Mr Tucker continued.
“There are small changes that can make a big difference, whether that’s using a watering can in the garden or washing cars with a bucket and sponge. It’s the excessive use that we all need to watch out for. Running a hose, whether into the garden or paddling pool, uses up to 500 litres per 30 minutes of use.”
While customers save water at home, Thames Water says it is working around the clock to find and fix leaks, carrying out more than 1,300 repairs each week – or one every 7.5 minutes.
To find more summer water saving tips visit Thames Water’s website. Customers can also see how much water and energy they use with its water-saving calculator.
