Each person living in Scotland uses on average, 150 litres of water every single day.
In Scotland, we tend to take water for granted and we tend to not think about how much water we use. Surprisingly, however, less than 1% of rainwater ends up somewhere Scottish Water can access. It’s not as plentiful as you might think.
While we are not metered for our water in Scotland, there is a cost associated with it. Around 1/5th of the average household energy bill is spent on heating water, so using your water wisely can help cut your energy costs as well as reduce the water you use.
Bathing and showering
- When washing your hands instead of leaving the tap running, fill the basin with the water you need. Don’t leave the tap running when you brush your teeth either!
- Showers use less water than baths, so will help save on your energy costs too. Try and limit how long you’re in the shower – usually 4-5 minutes is enough. If each family member did this, you could save up to £10 each on energy bills every year.
Smarter Cooking
- If you enjoy a good cuppa, don’t fill the kettle more than you need to. Using enough for one cup will help save energy and water. It was also reported by the chairman of the Tea and Infusions Association, that boiling the same water more than once removes the oxygen and nitrogen and results in a poor cup of tea. So there are three reasons not to do it!
- Boiling pasta or cooking veg? Don’t fill the pan more than you need to. Not only is it a waste of water, but the fuller the pan the longer it’ll take to boil and the more energy it’ll use.
- Don’t let your money run down the sink – when washing up, use a basin. Leaving a hot water tap running wastes energy and water. You could save up to £30 a year by filling a basin instead.
Laundry
How you use your washing machine is important, wait till the washing machine is full before you use it instead of doing several small loads throughout the day. You should also set the temperature to 30°c – this can save 40% on energy used each year.
Get advice
If you’d like further advice on using water efficiently you can arrange a free and impartial advice call with one of the team.
Our energy advisors can be contacted by:
- Calling 01592 807930
- Texting COSY then YOUR NAME to 88440
- Emailing info@cosykingdom.org.uk
- Request advice online
- On our Facebook and Twitter social media pages