Find out why we should all make the effort to save water whenever we can.
Why we should save water
Water is a precious resource. We should always use it wisely because it's not as abundant as you might think.
Using water, especially hot water, uses energy and increases emissions of greenhouse gases which contributes to climate change. During a drought it's even more important to make sure that water is not wasted.
Did you know?
- The average person in England and Wales uses 150 litres of water a day. By 2020 the demand for water could increase by 800 million extra litres of water a day.
- Most of this water is used for washing and toilet flushing, but it also includes drinking, cooking, car washing and watering the garden. We use almost 50 per cent more water than 25 years ago, partly because of power showers and household appliances.
- Using water in our homes contributes around 35 million tonnes of greenhouse gases a year. The average family uses 500 litres of water a day (due to some communal use of appliances). That’s equal to 1.5 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.
- Future Water, the Government’s water strategy for England, outlines a vision for the average person to reduce the water they use by 20 litres per day to 130 litres a day:
- Future Water - the Government's water strategy for England (PDF, 2MB)
What you can do
- Act on C02 - find out how to reduce your use of fossil fuels, help manage the risks of climate change and ensure the energy needed to live is more secure.
Energy calculator
Energy Saving Trust's water energy calculator - helps you calculate water use, utility bills and carbon savings from simple water efficiency improvements.
