Save Water

At work...

• Report dripping taps to the Building Services helpdesk on extension 9898 - a dripping tap can waste 10 000 litres (3,000 gallons) of water a year;
  
• Don't forget to turn the tap off properly after washing your hands. A dripping tap wastes 30 drops of water per minute and 380 litres (84 gallons) per month - this equates to 4,600 litres (1,008 gallons) per year.

At home...

• Fit insulation to water pipework - running taps waiting for them to get hot can waste a lot of water;
• If you have an older or larger cistern, save water during flushes by filling a plastic bottle or bag with water and carefully placing it in the cistern. NEVER place a brick in the cistern;
• Turn the tap off while you brush your teeth and rinse at the end with a mug of water. A family of four can save a bathful of water every third day this way;
• Take showers instead of baths. A bath uses up to 90 litres (18 gallons) of water. Showers use an average of only 30 litres (7 gallons). So, save time, water and energy by taking a shower;
• Rather than running tap water until it's cool, keep a bottle of cold water in your refrigerator;
• Wash vegetables in a bowl, not under a running tap. Soaking vegetables makes them easier to peel. A running tap wastes 10 litres (2 gallons) a minute;
• Half-load programmes on dishwashers and washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load. Wait until you have a full load before switching the machine on;
• Check the label when buying new appliances to check they are water-efficient.

In the garden...

• Rainwater is better for plants - collect it! Only use mains tap water as a last resort. Watch the weather forecast and save washing-up water for gardening on dry weekends;
• Water plants in the evening to avoid the water evaporating. Always use a watering can rather than a hose - you can measure more easily how much water each plant receives. A hosepipe left running for one hour will use as much water as most of us need during a whole week!
• Use a bucket to wash your car rather than a hose.