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Page last updated on 19th June 2025

Man holding his son in one arm, and running his fingers under the tap with the other arm.

10 effective and easy ways to save water at home

Having access to water is such a vital part of our everyday lives that it's easy to overlook how much energy is used to heat up our water and how that impacts the environment. In fact, Water UK found that nearly 95% of the public underestimate how much water they are using daily. But it’s not too late to make a change. By adopting these simple ways to save water, you can do your part to save water and energy.

To help with this, we’ve put together a list of 10 ways to save water at home. These simple yet effective tips can help you save water and reduce your water bills at home.

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10 ways to save water

Avoid leaving taps running

Did you know that a running tap can waste over 6 litres of water per minute? By making the small choice to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or when it is not in use, you can reduce water usage and help save on water bills at home. So, consider incorporating this simple step into your daily routine.
Shorten shower duration

According to Energy Saving Trust, who are an impartial and trusted organisation for energy efficiency, around 12% of energy bills from a gas-heated household are from hot water used for showers, baths and taps. So, while we may all occasionally enjoy a long, hot shower, reducing the duration of your showers can help you save on water bills as well as reduce water usage.

Some simple ways to save water and energy in the shower include:

Shower length - Choose your favourite 4-minute song from your playlist and challenge yourself to finish your shower by the time the song ends. Halving your shower time could significantly reduce your household energy bills.
Shave before getting in the shower – you can rinse off any shaving foam once you get in.
Replace your shower head with a water-efficient one – in a 10-minute shower, a low-flow shower head could save you up to 90 litres of water.
Avoid turning the water temperature too high - the higher the temperature, the more energy you’ll use.

Baths

Some people may be under the impression that baths use more water than showering. However, this is all dependent on how long you spend in the shower, and how much you fill up your bathtub. On average, a bath uses about 80 litres of water when half-full while an average 10-minute shower uses 120-150 litres. If you’re looking for ways to preserve water but want to enjoy a bath every now and then, you should:

Avoid overfilling your bathtub.
Set the temperature at a reasonable level instead of adding cold water to very hot water.
Once you’ve finished bathing, reuse bath water for houseplants so that it goes further.
Ensure the bath plug is properly fitted to prevent water from draining while the bath fills.

Fix leaks immediately

A dripping tap can waste around 5,500 litres of water a year, enough to fill over 60 bathtubs holding 80 litres each. If you notice a leaky tap or pipe, getting it fixed as soon as possible is a simple way to save water at home.
Kettle usage

Some of the best ways to save water and energy are more straightforward than you’d think. One simple way of saving water in the kitchen is to avoid overfilling your kettle. Full kettles require more work to boil and, therefore, use more energy. By filling the kettle only with the water you need, you can help to lower the cost of boiling water. Consider measuring water in a cup or pot before boiling it.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers with eco modes can be more water-efficient than washing by hand. Some ways to conserve water using an efficient dishwasher include:

Only put the dishwasher on when it’s full. Cutting out just one dishwasher load per week could help you save on energy bills.
Put your dishwasher on an eco-setting, if it has one. Using an eco-setting can help save more water and energy.
Scrape your dishes, DON’T rinse them. Rinsing your dishes before putting them into the dishwasher wastes water and is generally not necessary with modern dishwashers.
Schedule your dishwasher for off-peak periods, if you’re on a time-of-use tariff or flexible energy scheme. Some dishwashers have built-in timers, allowing you to schedule cycles during off-peak hours when your electricity may be cheaper, if you’re on a time-of-use tariff, or signed-up to an energy flexibility scheme that rewards you for using energy at off-peak times. However, you can only benefit from these new flexible tariffs and schemes if you have a smart meter, and not all currently suppliers offer these kinds of tariffs.

For more information, check out our page on energy flexibility and how switching to a smart meter can help you benefit from certain energy-saving schemes.

Washing machines

Similarly, using a washing machine efficiently can help you save water at home and reduce water bills.

Keep loads full. Save water and energy by only using your washing machine when it is fully loaded.
Avoid overloading your washing machine. Follow your appliance’s recommended capacity to ensure water is used efficiently.
Choose the right program. Wash your loads on eco-cycles if your washing machine has one.

Outdoor water saving

Depending on the time of year, garden hoses and sprinklers can contribute to a significant proportion of water waste in the household. Here are some of the best ways to save water in the garden:

Collect rainwater using a bucket or water butt. This can be used for watering plants.
Water your garden early in the morning or late in the evening. This will reduce evaporation so that your plants need less watering.
Use a watering can instead of sprinklers. Sprinklers can use up to 1,000 litres of water an hour. Instead, using a watering can helps target the plant’s roots directly and conserve water.

Reusing water

Another simple way to save water in the household is to reuse or share it. Here are some ways you can reuse water:

Feed plants with cooled down cooking water, for example, water used to boil pasta.
Reuse bath water to wash your patio.
Collect shower water in a bucket for household cleaning.
Use rainwater to water plants and lawns.
Run one bath for young children to share.

Regularly maintaining your appliances

One of the simplest ways to save water is to ensure your appliances are functioning properly. Fixing leaky toilets or even descaling your shower head to maintain water pressure can help you save on water bills and energy costs at home.

Continue to save money and manage your energy usage by getting a smart meter. With a smart meter, you can use the in-home display to track your energy use.

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