Spring has finally sprung and with rising energy costs there is no better time to spring clean and dust off old habits and create some new ones that are good for your pocket and the environment.

Start by thinking how much water you are using each day while you go about your routine. Whether you are washing your hands, cleaning endless amounts of dishes or getting through that mountain of washing, you start to realise just how important water is and the sheer amount we use.

NI Water’s Environmental Outreach & Learning Officer, Anna Killen, explains how we can save water by looking at everyday habits, “It’s amazing to think that each day each person uses around 170 litres of water!  However, saving water can be really easy, there are simple things we can all do that can make a huge difference.

“Did you know that the average time people in Northern Ireland spend in the shower is 9 minutes, over 50% of people still overfill the kettle and less than ¼ of people have a waterbutt?”  

“We want that to change and it’s easy, start by looking at small changes for example, your kettle, since working from home it has have been working overtime, but just fill with as much water as you need. Overfilling can use twice as much energy and water, each time you boil.

 “Keeping hydrated has never been more important and drinking water is a great way to improve our overall health. The best way to enjoy tap water is cold, so think about keeping a jug of water in the fridge instead of letting the tap run cold.

“In the garden, fill a watering can and if using a hose, fit a trigger nozzle.  Watering early in the morning or late in the afternoon reduces evaporation.

“With rising energy costs, it might be time to think about reducing the time spent in the shower, hot water costs money! Why not try the 4 minute shower challenge, put on your favourite 4 minute song and see if you can finish before the end.” 

To help you embed with these new habits and ‘Get Water Fit’, complete our online water audit at https://www.getwaterfit.co.uk or take part in water saving challenges and receive your free water saving items including 4 minute shower timer, toothy timers and swell gel bags for the garden.   

Some water saving tips:

1 Make full use of your washing machine

Half load programmes on washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load, so wait until the machine is full before switching it on.

2 Fill the kettle with only as much water as you need

This will save water and energy.

3 Take shorter showers

Why not challenge yourself and your family to shower one minute quicker? In a year you could save up to 10,000 litres of water!

4 Take a shower instead of a bath

One bath can use up to 100 litres of water, whereas an efficient shower uses under 50 litres. But remember power showers can use more water than baths.

5 Turn off the tap

Simply turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, washing your hands or shaving can save over 5 litres of water every minute!

6 Use a bowl for washing vegetables

A running kitchen tap can use up to 20 litres of water every minute. You can reduce water waste by using a bowl to wash and prepare your vegetables. Then you can use the water to rinse your recycling.

7 Lawns are great survivors

Even when they look dry and brown, they’ll spring back with the first heavy rain, so to avoid watering them wherever possible.

8 Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth

A running tap can use six litres of water per minute.

9 Fix leaking taps

A dripping tap can waste more than 60 litres of water per week.

10 Keep a jug of water in the fridge

Planning ahead means there is no need to run the water until it gets cold.