Are you saving water?

17 August 2010, 06:00

People in Gloucestershire are being urged to be careful with how much water they use this summer.

Severn Trent Water has renewed an appeal for people to be sensible over how much water they use when taking baths or watering the garden .

While there are no plans for a hosepipe ban, reservoirs in some parts of the region are lower than usual.

Severn Trent's senior operations manager, Fraser Pithie, has been telling Heart what people need to do:

Listen to Fraser

Water saving tips for everyone:

 - Challenge yourself to take a shorter shower - you'll save energy as well as water - the combined savings can be significant!
 - Do you leave your tap running while brushing your teeth or shaving? A running tap can waste up to nine litres of water every minute.
 - If you have a modern, dual flush toilet, use the small flush when you can. Older cisterns use up to 13 litres of water for every flush, but if you put in a save-a-flush device you can save one litre every time you flush. Free save-a-flush devices are available from us by visiting  www.stwater.co.uk/saveaflush
 - A dripping tap won't go away! Have leaks repaired as soon as you notice them. A leaky tap takes its toll on water reserves - just one drop a second adds up to 15 litres a day.
 - Avoid filling up a kettle to brew one cuppa, or using a big saucepan of water to boil a few potatoes. Use the minimum amount of water necessary - again you'll save energy too!
 - Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl of water rather then under a running tap. Then use the water to give your houseplants a drink instead of just pouring it away.
- Use a bucket and sponge to wash vehicles, not a hosepipe.
 - Try keeping a bottle or jug of water in the fridge instead of turning on the tap until the water runs cold.
 - Half-load programmes on dishwashers and washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load. It's more efficient to wait until you have a full load before switching the machine on.

Find out more ino online at www.stwater.co.uk

Spotted a leak? Call 0800 783 4444