How you can conserve water

Here are some ways in which you can help protect the environment and the quality of London's water.

Cooking oil - don't pour it down the drain, soak up the excess and put in the bin
Cigarette butts - don't drop in the street or put down the drain, stub out and put in the bin
Hot fat and lard - leave to harden and put in the bin; don't pour down the drain
Litter - take home or put in the bin; don't drop in the street or put down the drain
Motor oil - take to the Council tip for recycling; don't pour down the drain
Paint and chemicals - take to the Council tip for disposal or recycling; don't pour down the drain
Personal waste (sanitary towels, tampons, condoms/femidoms, razors, cotton buds, bandages, disposable nappies) - don't flush down the toilet

Saving water at home, in the garden or at work takes very little effort, but makes a surprisingly big difference. In general, this involves simply cutting out the amount of water we are wasting through our day-to-day habits.

Did you know, for instance, that turning the taps off when you brush your teeth, can save up to 5 litres a minute? If the entire adult population of England and Wales did likewise, this could save a total of 180 mega litres a day, enough to supply nearly 500,000 houses.

The following water-saving tips will help you do your bit and conserve our most precious resource.

Don’t put the washing machine on unless you’ve got a full load. One full load uses less water than two half loads.
Water your garden with a watering can. It uses 4 litres of water whereas a sprinkler uses 540 litres each hour!
A water butt in your garden can collect rainwater that you can use to water your lawn and borders.
If you shower instead of taking baths, then you can save up to 400 litres of water per week.
Energy efficient dishwashers save water and electricity. ‘A’-rated machines are most economical.
Get dripping taps fixed – they can waste up to 90 litres of water a week.
Keep a glass, bottle or jug of water in your fridge, rather than running your tap until it runs cool.
Use the minimum amount of water required when you boil water in saucepans and kettles – this will save energy and water.

Where to find out more

The Environment Agency provides top tips on how you can do your bit to save water in the home and in the garden.

Waterwatch is a voluntary network of campaigners, groups and individuals, concerned with all water issues (consumer, environmental, regulatory and health) in England and Wales. Set up in February 1994, it has played an important role in promoting debate about the water industry and exposed a number of problems and shortcomings.

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