Saving water

Gemma84_3

Hi all.

Ive got a water meter fitted, had no choice in the matter as the house was brand new when i moved in.

Am paying £30 a month for me and my son, (partners just moved in so thats bound to go up).. but i think some of that is for a few years ago.. as they messed me about.

Anyway, has any one got any tips of savin water?

I only boil kettle whith amount needed.

I only have a bath..so cant have a shower instead (have at least 3 a day between us)

Heard something about placing somethin in the toilet, to save on toilet flushes?

Thanks in Advance

Sazbo

Hi. You can put a plastic bottle, or a brick inside a plastic bag in the cistern, so it uses less water when flushing...

save-a-lot

Hi

I bought one of these...
http://www.watertwo.co.uk
it is a water diverter that you place on the bath outlet pipe. I watered the garden using this device over the whole summer.

- then also get a free bag to place in the cistern
http://www.stwater.co.uk/server.php?show=nav.5795

black-saturn

Shower instead of bath and use the 1, 2 and 3 minute rule. If a quick shower is all thats needed hop in and count to 60 seconds and wash as quickly as possible. Extend it to 2 or 3 minutes depending on what you have to do in there.

Only flush the loo every other time you go or when you've done a number 2.

Keep a bucket in the garden and after it's rained use that water to flush the loo.

Only wash up when the sink is full.

Onl use the washing machine when it's full and handwash as much as you can.

Fix all dripping taps and never leave a tap running.

full-time-mum

Gemma84 wrote:

I only have a bath..so cant have a shower instead (have at least 3 a day between us)

Surely you can cut down on the number of baths without being smelly and horrible - you are implying that you often have more than one bath each a day.

Strip washes using the sink are perfectly adequate some of the time.

Just put a small amount of water in the bath and use a jug to pour it over your shoulders.

Make sure you use showers at gym/swimming pool (or at work if available)

You used to be able to get rubber shower attachment so you can wash your hair over the bath - or use a bucket and jug.

You and your partner can share some baths.

If your son is young, then share his water (you don't necessarily have to go in together!)

In the long run, it might be cheaper to buy a shower fitment - OK, its not a power shower experience but then you can still have some baths.http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/8305518.htm
for tap attachment @ £25. I think you then need the shower bit @ £30.

Don't know how much you would save but at 'at least' 3 baths a day, I'm sure you must.

cattie

It would be worth your while investing in some bath taps with a mixer shower attachment. Might cost you in the region of £100 to buy & have fitted, unless your partner could do the fitting, but you'd soon recoup the cost by using less water than you presently do by taking baths. Far superior & gives you a much better result than those plug on the tap type things.

If you are in a new house then you don't need to add anything to the toilet cistern to use less water, modern day cisterns are designed to use less water & by placing something in there you may not get a decent enough flush to do the job it's supposed to do.

Teach your son & your partner not to leave taps running, especially when cleaning teeth or washing faces, all the clean unused water that goes down the plug hole you are paying for. :eek:

If you have a dishwasher then don't make daily use of it , do as much washing up as you can in a bowl in the sink.

ads677

From what I read the area of the house that uses most water is the bathroom/toilet, and in particular the loo. Assuming that you shower rather than bath etc making your loo use less water can save a huge amount. Old style loos use 9 litres (about 2 gallons) every flush! And they never use less. Putting bricks and so on in the cistern will reduce the water consumed, but again always by the same amount, which might be too much or too little. The key is to only use as much as is needed to cope with the job in hand (ahem!)

The good news is that the old style loos will have a syphon rather than a valve mecahnism (of which around 20% leak at any one time so I have read). The syphon type of loo can be modified so that when you press the handle the loo flushes and when you release it the loo stops. YOU decide when to flush and for how long. I don't know how many of these mechanisms there are, but I do know of one company (I have nothing to do with it) called Interflush. They reckon that (presumably in an average household) if you have a metered supply you can save the cost of their device in "weeks". If so you will keep on saving for as long as the device is used.

clutton_2

A single friend has been on a water meter for 3 years now, and her bill is much much less than the normal charge. She showers at the swimming pool 5 times a week - washes up when there are no more clean dishes, and uses the washing machine only when it is full; she even re-uses bath water to flush the loo; and uses washing up water to water the plants; she never runs a tap to wash teeth; i also think she rarely flushes the loo unless solid matter needs to be disposed of.

In traditional Morocco homes they never allow toilet tissue to be flushed away for this reason, and a pot is often left next to the loo for tissue disposal - but i think that may be taking things a bit too far for the western taste !!!

a cautionary note re toilets - you need a minimum amount of fluid to flush away the toilet tissue and the solid matter - if you cut that down too much, you may block up your soil pipes.

Psykicpup

Call your water co - they will have leaflets etc full of good ideas & tips & should supply Savaflush bags free of charge for you toilet!

newcook

If you do get a shower fitted dont get a power shower as according to ST website this uses more water than a bath have a normal shower and get the head attachment where you can change the style of spray