Here are some top tips on how to reduce water consumption - especially useful after the searing summer we've had!

Water, water everywhere?

You'd be forgiven for thinking that it rains all the time in Britain, so we don’t always see a reason to be more thoughtful and careful with the water we use. But there are three times the number of people using water today than 50 years ago. Dishwashers, power showers and more cars to wash are putting us in danger of using more water than is falling from the sky.

Here are a few of all our wasteful ways to think about, and some suggestions for the small steps we can all take to improve them:

In the home or office:

• Waste: a tap dripping once every second wastes up to 4 litres of water a day
• Small step: repair a dripping tap straight away (and dripping hot taps run up power bills too!)

• Waste: to get a glass of water lots of us run the tap until the water goes cold, pouring around 9 litres of water down the drain
• Small step: keep jugs of cold water in the fridge for drinking. It's refreshing and much colder than from a tap, and it saves water too

• Waste: our toilets use between 7 and 13 litres of water in every flush
• Small step: fit a ‘hippo’ device in your toilet cistern and save around 1,460 litres of water a year

• Waste: our daily bath uses up to 16,425 litres more water than a shower
• Small step: Take a shower instead of a bath

• Waste: leaving the tap running while cleaning your teeth uses 5 litres of water per minute
• Small step: turn the tap off!

• Waste: scrubbing vegetables for dinner under a running tap can waste even more water
• Small step: use a bowl of water for vegetables

• Inspired? Email us and tell us what you're doing

In the garden

• Waste: hosepipes and sprinklers can use up to 1,100 litres of water per hour: as much as a family of four would use in two days
• Small step 1: use a bucket and sponge to wash vehicles
• Small step 2: install a water butt to fill up watering cans for the garden
• Small step 3: water at dusk to reduce evaporation
• Small step 4: mulch plants to reduce water loss

• Inspired? Email us and tell us what you're doing

Useful websites

• www.anglianwater.co.uk for useful tips on saving water
• www.envirowise.gov.uk for useful environmental information and help for businesses
• www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk for green goods including toilets and urinals