As the cost of living continues to rise, thousands of households in the UK are looking for ways to save on their water bills. This year alone, an average increase of £27.40 per year has been forecasted for homes in the UK, which is likely to increase during 2025 and the following years.
With many families watching their water usage carefully with efforts to keep their outgoings as low as possible, there are a few other ways you can reduce your water usage. One of which is to install a water softener (which we’ll get into detail later).
Let’s explore how to reduce your water usage at home.
1. Spend Less Time in the Shower
There’s nothing like a long shower after a long day to refresh and reset for the evening. But, cutting down on the amount of time you spend in the shower means cutting down on the amount of water you use.
Getting a shower timer, or picking one or two songs to shower to, then stopping once they’re finished is a great way to reduce the time spent in the shower, especially if you have a young family.
Alternatively, you could also try turning the water off when you’re lathering up the soap or shampooing/conditioning your hair, turning it back on to rinse off. Although you may be spending the same amount of time in the bathroom, you’ll end up using less water as the shower won’t be running the whole time.
2. Don’t Fill Up the Whole Kettle
It’s easy to fill up the whole kettle when boiling water, thinking you might use the rest later and come back to it. But filling the kettle up less ensures that you only use what you need, minimising water waste. But that’s not all, as filling up the kettle with less water requires less energy to bring it to boiling point, reducing your energy consumption and costs.
3. Install a Water Softener
A water softener can reduce your water consumption indirectly by improving the efficiency of water-consuming appliances in your home. Here are a few other ways that installing a water softener can reduce your water usage:
- Reduced mineral build-up: Hard water contains high levels of minerals like magnesium and calcium. Over time, these minerals accumulate in pipes, faucets, and appliances - reducing their efficiency. Water softeners remove these minerals through a process called ion exchange, preventing scale build-up and ensuring appliances work effectively.
- Improved efficiency of appliances: Appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters operate more efficiently with softened water. Without mineral deposits, they require less energy and water to function properly. This means they use less water per cycle, contributing to overall water savings.
- Shorter cleaning cycles: Soft water requires less soap and detergent to create a lather compared to hard water. Households using water softeners can use less soap and detergent in their laundry and dishwashing routines. Since less water is needed to rinse off excess soap and detergent, water usage decreases.
- Extended appliance longevity: the removal of minerals by water softeners extends the lifespan of appliances. Softened water descales dishwashers and washing machines, reducing the risk of mineral build-up and the need for repairs or replacements.
- Reduced need for water heating: Softened water heats more efficiently than hard water because it doesn’t contain insulating mineral deposits. With soft water, water heaters can operate more efficiently, requiring less energy to heat water. This indirectly reduces water usage by conserving the energy required for water heating.
4. Turn the Tap Off When Brushing Your Teeth
Changing this small habit can make a big difference. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth is a simple yet effective way to reduce water usage. Brushing your teeth takes around 2-3 minutes, during which a significant amount of water can flow down the drain if the tap is left running. Think how much that is every week, month, and year!
By turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, you can conserve a considerable amount of water.
5. Do Fewer Loads of Washing
By reducing the frequency of washing loads, you’re decreasing the overall amount of water used to wash your clothes. Waiting until you have a full load of washing ensures that you use your washing machine less. This will not only lead to reduced water consumption but a cut in your water bills, too.
5. Get a Water Butt for the Garden
Watering your garden using water from the tap is bound to bring higher costs. By collecting rainwater in a water butt, you can use this water to hydrate all your plants (both outdoor and indoor, ensuring a healthy and happy garden. Water butts offer a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way to water your garden without spending a penny.
Visit Kinetico today to learn more about our water systems and how they can benefit your home.
