What you can do - Water

Find out how your actions impact the global environment and discover a number of simple ways in which you can make a real difference.

Things you can do today

Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Take a shower instead of a bath, but remember – power showers can waste even more water than a bath.
Only wash full loads of laundry unless you can change the load setting in your machine each time.
Wash the dishes by hand; you can save up to 90% of the water used by a dishwasher if you use a second sink or a bowl to rinse instead of leaving the water running.
Install a water butt to collect rainwater and use this or household leftover water in the garden and for watering indoor plants.
Keep a bottle or jug of drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap until the water is cold.
Check your water pipes regularly, and install lagging on your pipes and external taps to prevent damage, leaks and bursts during cold weather.
Only fill the kettle with enough water for your current needs. This will save water as well as the energy needed to heat extra water.
Toilets use 1/3 of total household water usage. Installing a water saving device can save 2,000 litres (528 US gallons) per person per year.