Steve Johnston, water-saving manager at Affinity Water, shares 12 simple tricks to save water and preserve a local natural gem.
The River Ver is a local beauty spot and one of only 200 chalk streams in the world. Affinity Water has launched the ‘Save 10 a day’ campaign to help encourage local residents to save water at home and help restore the river to its former glory.
“The average person in St Albans uses 150 litres of water a day – this is 10 litres above the national average – and it’s having an impact on our local environment,” Steve says.
“If every home in St Albans can save 10 litres of water a day, this will leave over one million more litres in the river daily and help us protect this rare national gem.”
There are many ways to reduce your water usage in the kitchen, bathroom, and garden.
1. Keep your showers to under five minutes
Get a free shower timer from getwaterfit.co.uk to help shave a few minutes off your shower and save water.
2. Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth
“Turning the tap off for these two minutes will help you save almost 10 litres already,” Steve says.
3. Scrape your plates
Use this as an alternative to rinsing them. Small things like this can help you save massive amounts of water.
4. Fill your dishwasher and washing machine before use
“Modern dishwashers are more efficient than hand-washing. Just make sure it is full before you turn it on,” Steve says. “The same goes for your washing machine, only use it for full loads. Half-loads will use the same amount of water as a full load but wash half the clothes.”
5. Wash your vegetables in a bowl
Use a bowl instead of washing vegetables under a running tap to cut down on the amount of water you use.
6. Fix any leaks
“A leaking toilet can waste as much as 400 litres of water a day,” Steve says. “It’s also worth fixing any leaky taps as they can be a drain on your water usage and bank account.”
7. Collect the cold water from your shower in a bucket
When spring rolls round again, use a bucket to collect water from your shower whilst you wait for it to warm up. The water can then be used in the garden later.
8. Use the half-flush on your toilet
“13 out of 14 people don’t know how to use the dual flush on their toilet,” Steve says. “Only using the half-flush (the small button) for liquids will drastically reduce your water use.”
9. Water your garden with a watering can
“A hose uses an entire family’s worth of daily water usage, in just one hour,” Steve adds.
10. Get the whole family involved and have fun while saving
Work together to reduce the amount of water used in your household. Compete with other family members to see who can save the most.
11. Sign up to getwaterfit for free water-saving gadgets
Use the water calculator to work out how much water you use. Answer questions about your routine to spot areas where you can save water.
“Order free water-saving gadgets like the eco-shower head which can save you over 7,000 litres of water per year and even have a zoom call with experts to get personalised advice,” Steve says.
Head to getwaterfit.co.uk to claim the best devices for you.
12. Give back to the community
Record your achievements at getwaterfit.co.uk and earn virtual coins the more water you save. You can then donate these to a charity of your choice. Add your household’s total water savings to a school’s total in the local area. Every school community that saves over 50,000 litres of water will receive a £1,000 donation.
“Water is a precious resource and as the largest water-only supplier in the UK, we’re dedicated to working with the local community to preserve it and protect our local environment,” Steve says.
Visit affinitywater.co.uk/savewater to book a free home water efficiency check to discover how you can save water in your home.
Call 0345 357 2403 or email homecheck@affinitywater.co.uk.
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