Water efficiency
In the UK each day we each use an average of 150 litres of water and as Wales has high levels of rainfall we often don't think about how much water we use as there is such a plentiful supply.
A lot of work goes into producing the water that comes from the tap. We use a lot of energy to move the water around whether it is through the pipes to our homes and businesses or around the treatment works itself.
By being careful with the water we use we are not only saving water we are also saving energy. 10 – 15% of the cost of treating water is the cost of the energy we use in the process.
And although our reservoirs and rivers usually have plenty of water in them, a hot dry summer can quickly deplete the water levels so it is important we learn to conserve water so that when this happens we can ensure the water we have goes further.
Did you know?
There are many easy ways to conserve water:
- Leaving the tap running for 2 minutes when you brush your teeth can waste up to 20 litres of water.
- Older toilet cisterns use 9 litres of water per flush (more modern toilets use 6 litres) so you can put a hippo bag or save a flush bag in the cistern to reduce the amount of water used in the flush.
- A five minute shower uses about half of a bathful of water (unless it is a power shower which in five minutes uses the same as a bath).
- New showerheads and taps can have aerators fitted. These add air to the water and use much less water than standard taps and showerheads.
- Sprinklers use a massive 500 – 1000 litres of water an hour. A watering can will hold about 10 litres. If you fill your watering can from a water butt that is even better!
Download and information
- Water efficiency games
- Water calculator (PDF)
- Watery facts (PDF)
- Wise with water (PDF)
- "Dripping tap" activity (PDF)
- Home audit (PDF)
- How many litres do you use to ... (PDF)
- Numeracy worksheet - Part 1 & Part 2 (PDF)