Hot or cold, Northumbrian Water is encouraging our customers to use water wisely.
We've seen an increase in water use recently, with people spending more time at home, using more water.
Although people associate water saving with hot weather, it’s important to know that water’s worth saving all through the year. There’s plenty of small changes that we all can do to help save water and help the environment. Remember, that water is vital and every drop counts!
Not only is it crucial to the future of our environment to save water but it could help save you money. Around a fifth of energy (gas and electricity) used in the home is used to heat water.
Here are our top tips for saving water (and energy!) this winter:
Indoors
- All those hot drinks! Make sure you only fill the kettle with the amount of water needed for your cuppa – saving both water and energy each time!
- If you do boil too much, why not save the rest in a flask? Or you could fill up a flask at the start of the day if you’re working from home. This saves you energy, water and precious time between those online meetings!
- Burst pipes could cost you over £8k to fix. Check out our ‘Beat the Freeze’ page here, as it’s vital during cold spells to protect your pipes.
- Don’t pour the water from your hot water bottle down the drain. If it’s cool, why not use it to water your plants?
- Switch the bath for a shower. You’ll save 30 litres of water each time, that’s the same as putting on the dishwasher twice!
- If you fancy a luxurious winter shower, then check out our tip for a spa like shower here.
- If a bath is a must, then why not reduce it by just 1 inch. You’ll save 15 litres of water, that’s the same as two watering cans full of water and also saves on your heating bill
- Wearing more layers than normal? Make sure your washing machine is full before you use them and set it to the most efficient water and energy settings
- If the comfort food is out, then make sure your dishwasher is full before you use it. Did you know, using a full dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand?!
- Getting your house ready to hibernate in? Order your free water saving kit here for easy to install water saving devices for your home.
Outdoors
- Make sure you look after your pipes outside too. See our ‘Beat the Freeze’ page here to avoid you having frozen pipes and no hot water this year.
- It’s important to let your plants rest over winter. Don’t overwater to avoid root rot. House plants may only need watering every fortnight and outdoor plants might only need watering a few times each month.
- Switch off any sprinklers and put away that watering can. Lawns can become dormant in cold weather so there’s no need to water it
- If you do need to water the garden, do so early in the day when the ground isn’t frozen so they have time to absorb the water before it gets too cold
- Tis the season to get a water butt. The good thing about rainy cold weather is that it’s a great time to install a water butt to collect rainfall. We’ve discounted water butts here for our customers.
- Get your hoody on and wash your car when it rains. Not only are you saving water but it saves you a job of rinsing it after!
- If you’re out and about, please help us spot leaks. Cold weather can cause pipe damage. To save water in your area, report any leaks you spot so that they can be fixed quickly - visit www.nwlcommunityportal.co.uk/leaks or call 0800 393084.
Useful links
WaterSafe
A free online directory and national accreditation body for competent and qualified plumbers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Find out more
Priority Services
We all need a little extra help at some point in our lives. We offer a range of free Priority Services to all our customers.
Find out more
Saving Water
Wasting water is like pouring your money down the drain. Read our useful tips to find out how you can save water.
Find out more
Summer water saving tips
In the hottest months of the year, Northumbrian Water is encouraging our customers to use water wisely.