Many households could cut their water use by nearly a quarter (24%), plus slash the corresponding cost from their heating bills, simply by using the technology in their installed appliances correctly, according to the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA). As an added bonus they could instantly achieve official residential targets for reduction of water use set for 2037.
AMDEA says that just by pressing the eco button on a dishwasher and washing machine, and taking a daily 5-minute shower instead of a bath, many households could easily meet the goal. Using eco programmes for both dishes and laundry can save 15,000 litres a year, compared to ordinary cycles. And taking a short shower instead of a bath uses 40 litres less each time. In fact, each shower taken instead of a bath is saving nearly 19p in energy, that’s £165 off the average home energy bill each year through less water being heated.
The average personal daily water usage is 144 litres in England, and official targets aim to cut this to 122 litres by 2037 to make better use of existing resources as the UK’s population rises. The total saved for those who do not already use eco programmes and take short showers could be as much as 24% of a typical home’s water consumption, comfortably below the level of the England target. The study, conducted by YouGov, found 30% of people rarely or never considered water conservation when choosing a washing machine cycle, and 25% took the same view with dishwashers. Many respondents were also unclear about how much water an eco cycle saves and over a quarter (27%) admitted to not knowing.
The study also revealed the main motivator for those households concerned with saving water was to reduce bills (72%) as opposed to protect the environment (65%). Price and affordability scored highest with 75% as consideration factors when buying a machine, then came energy rating and running costs at 70% but only just over a third (36%) gave thought to water usage. The majority also drastically underestimated how much water they use in their homes. Half the respondents (50%) underestimated their water usage per person by at least 30%, while 42% said they simply did not know how much water they used, even though 59% of all respondents admitted to having a water meter.
AMDEA chief executive Paul Hide said: “Showers, dishwashers and washing machines have become much more water and energy efficient over recent years, but it seems many people are still not taking advantage of the clever tech they have installed in their bathrooms and kitchens. AMDEA’s award-winning Know Watt’s What campaign reminds householders to make those small changes to the way they use their appliances, that can make a big difference to their domestic bills, their water consumption and the environment.”
