Why and how should I save water?

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Water. Might seem plentiful, it rains a lot, right?

Well, yes, but not always in the right places.
In Scotland the west coast is considerably wetter than the East. And climate change is exacerbating that gap. Although rainwater can replenish rivers, lochs and reservoirs quickly, when there is a dry spell water levels can also drop rapidly.
The truth is that less than 1% of rainfall ends up somewhere Scottish Water has access to and Scotland can suffer from water shortages during prolonged dry spells. Scottish Water work hard to move water around the country to ensure we all have enough all the time, but this uses energy and costs money to deliver. 
If we all saved some rain for a sunny day and reduced our useage around our homes 24/7, 365 days a year – it would all add up and be better for the planet in the long run.

How can you save water?

Take just 2 minutes off your shower and take around £130 off your energy bill. You’ll also save 5,000 litres of water a year. So by only using what we need you can  save money, as well as the planet.

A family of four could flush the loo over 10,000 times each year. That’s about 60,000 litres of clear, fresh water down the drain. Enough to fill 830 baths! Maybe you needn’t flush every time.

Just by putting a full load in your washing machine washing at 30 degrees rather than 40 degrees can save on water and on energy consumption by 57%. It all adds up. Better still, check out your washing machine’s instruction manual – different settings could save gallons of water and money off your energy bill.

How many times do you boil the kettle and walk away, get distracted and have to boil it again 15 minutes later? Argh! What a waste of energy! Only boil what you need for your cuppa. You will save water, energy and time!

Cleaning our teeth with the tap running wastes 5 litres of water a minute – an instant saving by simply turning off the tap while brushing.

Found a dripping tap? A dripping tap can waste over 5,500 litres of water a year so make sure taps are turned off properly or replace the washer.

A leaking toilet can waste between 215 and 400 litres of water every day. About 4% of British loos are leaking, and it is most common with dual flush toilets.

Could you fit a water butt in your garden? A small Scottish roof collects over 45,000 litres of water each year and a large roof can collect over 90,000 litres per year. Plenty to help your garden grow when the weather is dry.

Did you know? A hosepipe can use enough water in 30 minutes to fill five bathtubs. Use a sponge and bucket to wash the car to help save water.

A standard dishwasher uses around 9.5 litres of water per wash, while hand washing generally uses up to 60 litres. When using your dishwasher, wait for a full load and use the eco setting to save energy and water. If you have to wash your dishes by hand, please don’t run them under the tap. Save water by using a basin or bowl instead.

Watering the garden? A hose wastes 1,000 litres of water an hour. Save water and nourish your plants’ roots use a watering can instead. Better still – use the water from your water butt. Plants prefer rain water so its a win-win!

How much water do you use? The average person in Scotland uses around 165 litres of water every day.