How to save water
…in the home and garden
Did you know that leaving a tap running while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your hands could be wasting up to 5 litres of water a minute? The Environment Agency website has lots of top tips for saving water in your home and garden.
You can also get advice and tips on how to save water in your home and garden from your water company. Contact details and website details for your company can be found on Water UK’s website.
…for businesses
If you are a manufacturing industry then water bills could be costing your company over 1% of business turnover. If you are in retail, hospitality or service sector, you could save up to 50% of your water bill. Even if your water use is only for the offices you occupy, there are ways to save water with pay back periods measured in months.
Waterwise - Good for business, great for the environment - the first thing you need to do if you want to save water is to work out how much you use. The Environment Agency publication Waterwise - Good for business, great for the environment will help you conduct a water audit and produce a water management plan that will deliver savings and help the Environment.
Envirowise is a programme run by Defra and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to provide practical environmental advice to businesses on a range of issues, including water and waste minimisation and Environmental Management Systems. Industries are supported through free publications, events, seminars, collaborative work with industry bodies, tools and clubs. There is also a free Environment and Energy Helpline (0800 585794), as a further service to industry.
Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme for sustainable water technologies, which is modelled on the ECA scheme for energy saving investments, was launched in 2003 and provides accelerated tax relief to businesses investing in designated sustainable water technologies.
…in the public sector
The Water Act 2003 places a duty on all public bodies to ‘take into account, where relevant, the desirability of conserving water supplied, or to be supplied to premises’.
Watermark was established in 1999 to develop benchmarking and management information on water consumption across the public sector as a means to improve water efficiency and reduce costs. The information can now be found the OGC Buying.Solutions website.
In June 2006, the Prime Minister launched new targets for sustainable operations on the Government estate. The targets replace those in the Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate (originally published between 2002 and 2004).
…in schools
Energy and Water Management guide for schools. In 2002 the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) published its Energy and Water Management guide for schools. It contains practical suggestions and advice that can be easily implemented in schools to achieve significant water savings and raise awareness of water conservation.
The Water School is a curriculum-based website aimed to help pupils gain a wider understanding of water issues in an interactive way. The website also provides teachers with activity sheets and curriculum information.
Teachernet is a DfES resource for teachers and managers that signposts the material available and provides links to organisations that can help, nationally and locally. It also explains how sustainable development fits into the curriculum and school management, and where you can find inspiration and ideas.
The Water Family is a fun game where you will help a family cut down their water use in their home and garden. To win, you have to make decisions about the family’s use of water.
Page last modified:
23 September 2008
Page published: 4 September 2003