A new study by the Energy Saving Trust UK has shown that 42% of people in the UK never use toilets, preferring to shower exclusively. Showering now is actually the only activity in the home that consumes the most water. In fact, 25% of all the water we use in our homes is dedicated to showering. An average shower with a standard shower head uses around 60 liters of water compared to a typical bathroom that uses around 80 liters of water. So by showering more and taking fewer baths, we are actually consuming less water. Which is great for us and even better for the environment.
There are a variety of ways we could even save more water in our showers. In general, a shorter shower will use less water, but 42% of us report that our showers last between 6 and 10 minutes and almost as many of us (about 45%) say that our showers only last between 1 and 5 minutes. If more of us could move from the 6-10 minute category to the 1-5 minute category, we could all be saving even more water and that would mean more savings on our water bills each year. The report suggests that if every household in the UK cut just one minute off their showers every day, we could possibly save up to £215m on our national energy bills per year. A four-person household with a water meter and power shower could save £60 a year on both their water and energy bills, for a total saving of £120. Simply showering one minute less each day.
Since we are using most of the water in our home in showers, it is important to look at ways that we can reduce waste in our showers. An important step to reduce shower water consumption is to install more water-efficient showerheads. These shower heads actually restrict the flow of water and can also aerate the flow of water and therefore reduce consumption. Although the study shows that only 25% of us use these energy efficient shower heads. A typical British household could save around £55 a year on energy bills simply by switching to a more efficient eco-friendly shower head.
The other ways we use water in our homes also give us a good idea of where we can save the most energy and water usage. The report details that by far the majority of the water we use is in our bathrooms, with bathroom use accounting for 68% of total water use. Followed by 22% in the kitchen and 10% outdoors. After showers, toilets are the second most water-using household device. They represent 22% of our domestic water consumption. On average, we flush about 4,600 times a year, which is equivalent to about 28,000 liters of water, which could fill 350 bathtubs! New toilet technologies have seen big reductions in water use, such as dual-flush toilets. Yet only 41% of us have a dual flush toilet installed in our homes. If 51% of households that do not have dual-flush toilets upgraded their toilets, they could save more than 7,000 liters of water per year. In a four person household this could cut the annual water bill by around £80.
This study by the Energy Saving Trust was published last Thursday and enrolled 86,000 individual respondents in the UK. Its focus is to assess household water use and provide suggestions to governments and individuals on ways to save energy and water.