Save Water

Did you know? We use more water in the South East region than almost anywhere else in the UK!

Water is a precious resource and we all need to work together to make sure there’s enough water for each other and the environment, now and in the future.

There are some simple changes that could help save water.

How much water are you using?

Have you ever wondered just how much water you use every day?

Sign up to www.saveourstreams.co.uk to see your household exact usage and get your free water-saving kit. The clever devices will do all the hard work and save water for you.

• Visit SOS: Save Our Streams

Water saving devices

Here are some of the devices we have:

• Visit SOS: Save Our Streams

When you sign up, you'll find out tips and tricks to save water, and help to plant trees.

The more you save, the more we donate, learn more at www.saveourstreams.co.uk

Handy water saving tips

Here’s some easy ways to save water that fit into your lifestyle.

• In the bathroom
  • Shorten your shower – showers use between 5 -15 litres per minute depending on your shower. Aim for a 4 minute shower. Free timers are available to order as well a water saving shower heads.
  • Don’t overfill the bath – a full bath uses around 80 litres of water why not see if you can even reduce this by an inch
  • Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, and save over 6,500 litres of water a year and encourage others in your household to do the same
  • Whenever you can, use the half flush button if you have a dual flush toilet
  • A Save a Flush device can save 1.2 litres per flush, saving up to 5,000 litres a year. This is simply placed into the cistern on any lever handled toilets.
• In the kitchen
  • Save water and electricity by only boiling enough water for your immediate use
  • Use a bowl to wash dishes or vegetables
  • Fix dripping taps. You could save over 5,500 litres of water a year. If you need to find an approved plumber visit www.watersafe.org.uk
  • If you are buying a new appliance look at the Eco-label for water and energy consumption
  • Only run your washing machine and dishwasher with a full load – this uses less water than two half loads.
  • Use washing up water to rinse your recyclables instead of clean water.
• In the garden

  Here are some more top tips to help you become a water efficient gardener:

  • Hang up your hose – this uses as much water in an hour as the average family of 4 uses in a day and a half. Or use a trigger hose so you can control when water is released.
  • Water your plants using a watering can, either early in the morning or during the evening when it is cooler and there is less chance of water evaporating
  • A water butt is a great way to collect rainwater, you can use it to water your garden or wash the car
  • Wash your car with a bucket and sponge, which uses much less water than a hosepipe.

  Lawn

  • Cut the grass slightly longer in dry periods to allow the dew to be trapped. Leave the lawn cuttings on the lawn – it will naturally return moisture and nutrients to the soil
  • Reset your lawn mower blades to 4cm to encourage dense bushy growth.

  Plants

  • Choose plants that thrive in dry conditions, such as Alyssum, Geraniums, cornflowers French and African Marigolds, Petunias, Aquilegia, Campanula and Heuchera lavender.
  • Look for the full sun symbol on the plant labels when buying new plants as this indicates their tolerance to dry conditions.
  • Move containers, hanging baskets and pots into shady areas where possible
  • If you’re potting up or planting containers, use ones made from plastic, glazed terracotta or wood. These tend to lose less water than bare terracotta
  • When potting up your planters use a small amount of gel crystals. They absorb water and can help retain the moisture in the soil
  • Bury a short length of pipe into your pot; if you water into the tube the water goes directly to the roots where the plant needs it most
  • Use mulches like bark chips or gravel to retain moisture and keep weeds down.