Water in the home

There are lots of easy ways to save water in your home -- helping to save money and the environment at the same time.

Being water efficient doesn't mean being unhygienic. It just means being careful about the resources we use and not wasting them.

In fact, by making a few simple changes to your lifestyle - and reducing the water you use - you could save as much as £200 a year. Roughly half of these savings would be from your energy bill, so even if you're not on a water meter you could save around £100 a year.

How to save water in the home:

Bathroom

Cleaning teethTurn off the tap

Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth, shave or wash.

This can save up to six litres of water per minute.

 

 

 Repair dripping taps 

Fix dripping taps. A dripping tap can waste up to 15 litres of water a day, or almost 5,500 litres per year. Replace worn washers for a quick and cheap way of saving water. 

Toilet hippo

Cambridge Water supplies hippos or hogs free to all its customers on request. These are simple devices that reduce the capacity of the toilet cistern, therefore using less water per flush. 

To request a free hippo or hog please click here.

When replacing your toilet, look out for low flush or dual flush models.

Showers and baths

Conventional showers use approximately 45 litres of water, compared to a bath which uses, on average, 80 litres of water.

A power shower can also use up to 80 litres of water.

You can save the amount of water you use in a shower by fitting an aerating showerhead or using a shower timer, both of which are available from our Save Water Save Money website.

If you are running a bath, check the temperature as you fill it so that you do not need to add water to correct the temperature at the end.

Kitchen

Dishwasher or washing machines 

Wait until you have a full load before switching dishwasher and washing machines on. Click here to access our range of water efficient appliances.

Cooking

 • Use the minimum amount of water required when you boil water in saucepans and kettles; that way you'll save energy as well as water

 • Wash vegetables and fruit in a bowl rather than under a running tap. The water collected might even be used for watering pot plants

Prepare for winter to prevent burst pipes

 • Lag water pipes and external taps to prevent bursts in cold weather. For more information on preparing for winter please click here

Install a water meter

Whether you live alone in a flat or share a house, you can start saving serious money with a water meter and where possible, Cambridge Water will install it at no charge. People feel that metering is the fairest way to charge for water - similar to gas and electricity, paying for what you use. And as a general rule, single occupants and couples or families living in large houses with high rateable values tend to save by having a water meter installed. Most customers use 10% less water once they have a meter installed just because they are conscious of what they use.

If you would like to find out more, or request a meter, please click here.

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