Water Shortage - How to save a quarter of our water.

[Alikado]

Almost two thirds of domestic water consumption is in the bathroom.

The UK uses an estimated 16 billion litres of water every day across homes and businesses, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Each person uses an average of around 150 litres a day.
What uses the most water in our homes?

At home, Britons use most of their water in the bathroom, with the shower (25%), toilet (22%) and taps (29%) taking up the majority of our consumption.

An average shower uses less water than a typically-sized bath - 60 litres vs 80 litres.

And energy efficient shower heads and units can further decrease your water usage.

In the kitchen, washing machines use the most water (9%), followed by hand washed dishes (4%) and the dishwasher (1%).

Boiling the kettle with more water than you need is one of the most common ways Britons over-use water.

Filling up a dishwasher is more water efficient than washing dishes by hand.

For those without dishwashers, using a separate bowl for dirty suds and another for cleaning them off will waste less water than rinsing them with a running tap.

Washing machines take up a considerable chunk of kitchen water use (9%), but are more water efficient if used to capacity and at a lower temperature (30 degrees or lower).

If the water from the bathroom (40%) was saved then then reused to flush the toilet (22%) there would be plenty left over for washing the car also he saved water would not have to come out of the reservoirs and aquifers and through the water purifying treatments just to be flushed down the loo not only that but it wouldn't be going through your meter.
Extend that to collecting rainwater for use on the garden etc and you get a more even flow entering the drainage/ sewerage system so apart from the savings there would be less need for the water companies to dump raw sewage into the rivers, another win for the Environment.

These measures could and should be implemented immediately into all new builds, Would there be any need for a hosepipe ban in Southern England?

https://news.sky.com/story/where-doe...ought-12659327

[MICK/GILLY]

3 months ago I had a water meter installed and my bill went from £50 + a month to £23, I have made no changes to my water usage and even water the grass now and again so if you live alone or there’s two of you think about a water meter because if you are not saving money and not happy you have 2 years to change it back to £50 a month.

[gsgsgs]

3 months ago I had a water meter installed and my bill went from £50 + a month to £23, I have made no changes to my water usage and even water the grass now and again so if you live alone or there’s two of you think about a water meter because if you are not saving money and not happy you have 2 years to change it back to £50 a month.

I switched years ago, I made no change in my water usage, I carried on as normal but huge saving over rates.

Persuaded my neighbour recently to have a meter installed, £55 a month now £22 it is a no brainer, rule of thumb more bedrooms than people you'll save.

[Alikado]

3 months ago I had a water meter installed and my bill went from £50 + a month to £23, I have made no changes to my water usage and even water the grass now and again so if you live alone or there’s two of you think about a water meter because if you are not saving money and not happy you have 2 years to change it back to £50 a month.

Just imagine if the water from your bath, shower and sink in the bathroom were to be collected and pumped back up to the toilet cistern you could be saving another £5+ per month, save the water from the roof to water the garden, why are these measures not installed as standard on all new builds?

[Toodles McGinty]

I had my water meter moved into the property after years of arguing with United Utilities.

Water bill has dropped, so they reckon there must have been a leak between the pavement where it was before, and my home.

An awful lot of meters have been put in the pavement outside, most of which are impossible to read. You should be able to read your meters.

We've 3 water butts, so don't need to water plants with tap water. Wouldn't think they'd last more than a few months without rain, though.

I'd love a system that uses grey water for flushing the loo. Short of leaving the bath full after use, then using that to fill the cistern, I don't see how I could do it. All new houses should be built with a system that at least has the choice to do that.

[*concerned*]

If its yellow, let it mellow, if its brown, flush it down

[MICK/GILLY]

Just imagine if the water from your bath, shower and sink in the bathroom were to be collected and pumped back up to the toilet cistern you could be saving another £5+ per month, save the water from the roof to water the garden, why are these measures not installed as standard on all new builds?

I saw a concept on tik tok where a hand washing sink was on top of the cistern and when you flushed the chain water came first through the tap in the bowl for you to wash your hands and drained into the toilet cistern it gave you plenty of time to wash your hands and I thought that was a good idea. I have a water butt in the greenhouse that fills from the roof and that saves me dragging water up the garden.

[local]

Isn't the answer a national grid for Water, minimal savings in our homes unless your one of those who has a super green garden don't make that much difference?

There are an awful lot more of us and in the SE it's often dry.

Then they could build a few reservoirs instead of relying on rivers.

Scotland gets a lot of rain.

Although I cannot get my head around good quality drinking water being used on gatdens

[MICK/GILLY]

I had my water meter moved into the property after years of arguing with United Utilities.

Water bill has dropped, so they reckon there must have been a leak between the pavement where it was before, and my home.

An awful lot of meters have been put in the pavement outside, most of which are impossible to read. You should be able to read your meters.

We've 3 water butts, so don't need to water plants with tap water. Wouldn't think they'd last more than a few months without rain, though.

I'd love a system that uses grey water for flushing the loo. Short of leaving the bath full after use, then using that to fill the cistern, I don't see how I could do it. All new houses should be built with a system that at least has the choice to do that.

To install a water meter takes about 15 mins for the guy to come and do it and it’s free. If it CAN BE FITTED INSIDE and you WANT it outside it’s £160. When the guy came to install mine I didn’t want it inside I wanted it in the pavement outside because I would have to disturb the back of a cupboard to access the pipes and IF IT CANT BE FITTED INSIDE it’s free to fit outside, I persuaded the guy that it couldn’t be fitted inside and he agreed. They came and dug up the main ( new fitted main ) it took a few hours and they fitted my meter deep in the floor under the pavement.

The technology they have now means they only have to drive past to read it with a special reader . Good that innit .

[The PNP]

Could be far worse....

Over in the USA, Lake Mead has been shrinking for 20 years, due to #Climate Change.

[MICK/GILLY]

A mate of mine works in the water company and says millions of pounds are wasted in leaks in this country as the infrastructure in pipes is poor and the whole system is leaking like you wouldn’t believe.

[MICK/GILLY]

Isn't the answer a national grid for Water, minimal savings in our homes unless your one of those who has a super green garden don't make that much difference?

There are an awful lot more of us and in the SE it's often dry.

Then they could build a few reservoirs instead of relying on rivers.

Scotland gets a lot of rain.

Although I cannot get my head around good quality drinking water being used on gatdens

I have a filter tap for any water that I drink, the difference it makes is astounding firstly you can tell by the clarity and taste and sediment left in the kettle what crap they put in the water and although I do water my lawns I wonder how the chemicals that amount to bleach affects the grass.
A glass of water straight from the tap is cloudy and tastes of bleach compared to a glass of water from a filter tap that is a stark difference in clarity and tastes like fresh water should do and I am certain it’s better for you. Filter taps with a filter can be found on eBay for between £15/20 and take about 15 mins to fit and it’s easy to fit them.
It’s something that if you fit one you never look back .

[Alikado]

Isn't the answer a national grid for Water, minimal savings in our homes unless your one of those who has a super green garden don't make that much difference?

There are an awful lot more of us and in the SE it's often dry.

Then they could build a few reservoirs instead of relying on rivers.

Scotland gets a lot of rain.

Although I cannot get my head around good quality drinking water being used on gatdens

Even more bizarre is putting freshly purified water straight down the toilet.

If I came up with an idea of getting rid of the small tanks installed in homes that collect the water from the bathroom for use in the toilet and instead use fresh water which of course would put up the water bill 30% also getting rid of the water butt used for washing the car and watering the garden in favour of using fresh water which again would increase the bill there would be an outcry not only for the financial aspect but for environmental reasons as well.

The costs of installing these measures is negligible especially in a new build, most people can install a water butt in about 5 mins with a hacksaw and a screwdriver and have change out of £50, a small pump installed to pump water back upto bathroom level and your laughing all the way to the bank.

[MICK/GILLY]

https://youtube.com/shorts/azr17L7HCpQ?feature=share

[local]

Even more bizarre is putting freshly purified water straight down the toilet.

If I came up with an idea of getting rid of the small tanks installed in homes that collect the water from the bathroom for use in the toilet and instead use fresh water which of course would put up the water bill 30% also getting rid of the water butt used for washing the car and watering the garden in favour of using fresh water which again would increase the bill there would be an outcry not only for the financial aspect but for environmental reasons as well.

The costs of installing these measures is negligible especially in a new build, most people can install a water butt in about 5 mins with a hacksaw and a screwdriver and have change out of £50, a small pump installed to pump water back upto bathroom level and your laughing all the way to the bank.

As a country we have a lot of water just in the wrong places or not saved.
The badly privatised and regulated water companies do not do enough.

Grey water goes on our garden but it is not practical for many households.