Nine simple ways to reduce your water bill as Ofwat announces price hike
Industry regulator Ofwat has announced that water bills are set to rise by an average of £86 from April next year.
Southern Water customers are expected to be hit the worst by the hikes, with bills going up 53% by 2030. Meanwhile, those in Scotland and Northern Ireland – where the water industry is nationalised – will be unaffected.
Paired with the energy bill price hike set to come into effect in January 2025, and the ongoing cost of living crisis, it can feel as though managing utilities is a monumental task.
If you are worried about the upcoming changes and you are looking for ways to reduce your bills, here are some helpful tips to help curb your water usage.
How are water bills calculated?
The cost of your water utility bill depends on whether you have a meter or not. For unmetered customers, water bills are based on a calculation, taking into consideration clean and water waste charges based on the rateable value of your property. What this means is that your bill will vary depending on your home’s location and size.
Those with assessed household charges will be billed based on factors such as household size and frequency of use.
Nine simple ways to save on your water bill
Take showers over baths
On average, baths also use 20 litres more water than an eight-minute shower (which uses around 62 litres) so a shower is almost always the most cost-effective way to wash. If you're set on baths, one way to combat waste and keep your water bill down is to reuse your bath water – particularly if you have multiple children to bathe. But if the idea of sitting in someone else’s scummy suds doesn’t fill you with joy, you’re better off opting for a shower instead and trying to reduce the amount of time you spend in it.
Use your dishwasher instead
According to a Which? report, dishwashers are on average four times more water efficient than washing by hand. It is also recommended that you avoid rinsing plates before they go into the machine, as this increases the amount of water used.
If you don't have a dishwasher, try using a dish bowl or filling the sink rather than rinsing plates with the tap.
Turn off the tap
Whether you’re washing the dishes in the sink or brushing your teeth, make sure you turn the tap off in between. According to Save Water, Save Money there would be enough water to fill 180 Olympic swimming pools – every day! – if every adult in England and Wales turned off the tap when brushing their teeth.
Don’t overfill the kettle
It seems obvious, but by only using what you need, you can not only reduce your water bill, you can save on your energy bill also. In 2013, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) reported that overfilling kettles led to a total waste of £68m per year.
You may also wish to invest in a smart kettle. Not only are they convenient and provide boiling water on demand, they can help you cut costs because you are boiling your kettle less frequently.
Sort leaky pipes
According to Thames Water, even a small tickle can waste up to 200 litres of water per day and cost you an extra £161.33 per year. Constantly flowing water, meanwhile, could waste 8,000 litres per day and cost up to £6,453.20 per year.
Of course the cost of a plumber varies, depending on the severity of the leak, when the call is made and parts needed, among other things, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Thames Water also has this basic guide on how to sort leaks out yourself.
Instal a water meter
Before you jump the gun, it’s worth using a free calculator tool to see if you will, in fact, save money by having a water meter. The tool will factor in things like average usage, the number of inhabitants and household appliances, and bring up an estimate for how much you can save.
If you can reduce costs by installing a water meter, you can apply for one via your provider. They are free to customers in England and Wales, but there might be a waiting list to get one installed.
Should your provider not be able to fit one – sometimes accessibility or space issues can prevent them from being able to – you should ask about assessed charges bills.
Reduce how many loads of washing you do
Rather than sticking on lots of smaller washes, try to do bigger loads on quicker cycles. Again, this will not only reduce the amount of water and energy you are using, it will also reduce your utility bills.
Lift the lid on your toilet cistern
Yep – you read that correctly. Regardless of whether you know your ballcocks from your shut-off valves, installing a water saving device or bag to the cistern reduces the amount of water used on any given flush – in turn lowering your water bill. Most devices cost around £20.
Make sure appliances are up to date
As mentioned, older appliances – such as dishwashers and washing machines – use up more water than their modern counterparts. No one likes to fork out on white goods, but by replacing your old machine, you could save hundreds in the long-term.
If you are struggling to pay your water bill, you can contact Ofwat and the Consumer Council for Water for help. You can also speak to your provider about payment schemes.
Read more on personal finance:
Why inflation increase is 'extremely unfair' to people on universal credit (Yahoo News UK, 3-min read)
When will energy bills go down? (Yahoo News UK, 8-min read)
Electricity bill 'increased by 925%' after error (BBC News, 3-min read)
