Water works

Water used in baths and taps accounts for 21 per cent of most home water usage, showers 12 per cent and toilets a whopping 30 per cent. Luckily, it’s easy to make changes to all three that can have a significant impact. Older toilets use nine to 13 litres per flush, but by installing a simple save-a-flush bag, free from most water companies, you’ll save one to two litres per flush – or 5,000 to 10,000 litres per year for the average family.

Change your showerhead to a low-flow or aerated version to save up to 60 per cent, with little noticeable difference to pressure. Buying a simple shower timer has also been shown to cut down on water usage. For baths, simply fill with less water, and swap some baths for showers.

Other watersaving options include replacing your loo with a new dual-flush model, installing a greywater recycling system to reuse water from baths and taps in the WC and garden, and buying the most water- and energy-efficient appliances available when replacing your existing ones, especially the washing machine, which accounts for 13 per cent of water usage in the home.

See www.waterwise.org.uk for more tips, and to calculate your daily water usage, visit www.thewatercalculator.org.uk