Help to save water within your home

General Information

97.5% of the world’s water is locked in seas and oceans, too salty for human use. And most of the remaining 2.5% is in the ice caps. We as humans depend on the tiny bit available as fresh water – an essential natural resource for life.

But we don’t just use water for drinking. We wash in it, clean with it, and use it to produce everything from clothing to food. Crop production – including feed for livestock and biofuels – is putting a great strain on fresh water supplies.

Below are 12 of the best ways to save water according to Friends of the Earth:

1. Turn off the taps – Don’t let your water consumption run out of control. Save 6 litres of water a minute by turning off your tap while you brush your teeth. Ensure leaky taps are fixed too – and stop what could be 60 litres of water going straight down the drain every week.
2. Shower with less – Every minute you spend in a power shower uses up to 17 litres of water. Set a timer on your phone to keep your showers short, sweet and water-saving. Switching to an efficient shower head will allow you to lather up in less water, which means you’ll save water and cut your bills.
3. Save up your dirty clothes – Washing a full machine load of clothes uses less water and energy than 2 half loads. This means lower bills as well.
4. Reduce food waste – It takes a lot of water to produce our cereal, fruit and other food. More than half of the 7 million tonnes of food and drink UK households bin every year could be eaten. Wasting less food could save you £540 a year.
5. Time your gardening – Water outdoor plants in the early morning or at the end of the day to stop water immediately evaporating in sunlight and heat. Water the soil so that the liquid goes straight to the roots, where it’s needed. In a heatwave, animals need water too. Instead of watering your lawn, leave out a water-filled container, like a casserole dish, for birds to drink from and wash. Thirsty bees and other insects will need a saucer or bowl with water and stones in it.
6. Catch rainwater – Installing water butts saves up to 5,000 litres of water a year and your plants will thank you for rainwater rather than treated tap water.You can also cut water use by 33% by watering plants manually instead of using automatic sprinklers.
7. Use the low-flush toilet button if you have one – The average UK household flushes the loo 5,000 times per year. Modern dual-flush systems save huge amounts of water. They use just 6 litres – or 4 with a reduced flush – much less than the 13 litres for each old-style single flush.
8. No more washing up – Got a dishwasher? Fill it up completely each time you run it and you’ll use less water than you would doing the dishes by hand. Yes, even if you’re using a washing-up bowl. What better excuse to go and have a nice sit down? To find out more about the most water -and energy efficient ways to run your appliances visit the Energy Saving Trust: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/reports/AtHomewithWater%287%29.pdf
9. Quality and seasonal eating – Rearing animals for meat and dairy and harvesting crops like avocado at a large and unsustainable scale is incredibly water intensive. By cutting down on meat and dairy and eating seasonal vegetables you’ll be helping to conserve water. You’ll also be helping to protect the climate. The meat and dairy industries are big contributors to global warming.
10. Boil what you need – Save water, money and energy by only boiling as many cups of water as you need.
11. Steam your veggies – Steam your food to cut water usage and retain more of the natural nutrients. If you do boil, try using the leftover water as a tasty stock for soups. Or let it cool and use it to water plants.
12. Be plumbing prepared – Regularly check your kitchen pipes and the dishwasher hose for slow leaks. Find out where your household stop value is and make sure that you can turn it on and off. If you ever have a burst pipe, because you’ll be able to cut off the flow before it floods the house. Keep a contact number for your water supplier handy so that if you find a leak you can let them know and stop water being wasted.

How do I report a leak or burst pipe to NI Water?

You can contact NI Water in several different ways:

• By Phone: Call NI Waterline (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) on 0345 744 0088. Customers with hearing difficulties can use ‘Text Relay’ through NI Waterline on 0345 744 0088.
• By Email: waterline@niwater.com
• Via Webchat, Facebook, Twitter or Self-Service Portal: https://www.niwater.com/contact-us/