The average person uses around 132 litres of water every day, or 157 litres if they don't have a water meter fitted. Back in the late seventies that figure was closer to 100 litres per day, a pretty steep increase we think you will agree.
But where does all that water get used?
Below is a diagram showing you how we use water in our daily lives, highlighting the areas where we use the most.
How can we reduce the amount of water we use?
There are plenty of simple things we can all do to reduce our water consumption. With a bit of thought, you could soon be saving both money and this valuable resource.
1.Use a bowl to wash vegetables or dishes rather than just washing them under a running tap.
2.Try to only use your washing machine when you have a full load.
3.Have a shower instead of a bath. Normal showers use about half the water a bath uses. If you have a Power Shower make sure you are quick. Five minutes will use the same amount of water as a bath (about 100 litres).
4.Use a Hippo or Save-a-flush. These simple devices go inside your cistern and reduce the amount of water needed to fill it. We got ours free from www.southwestwater.co.uk/savingwater . Check out your local water supplier for similar offers.
5.Don't leave the tap running whilst brushing your teeth or washing your hands.
6.Fix that leaking tap! A dripping tap or overflow can waste dozens of litres of water every day.
7.Buy a Rainwater Butt (or make one yourself). The free water that is collected can be use for watering the garden, washing the car, washing windows, etc. And believe us, with our wonderful British weather it won't take long to fill up.
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