Are you ready to be absolutely shocked by the truth? As a nation, we Brits are somewhat delusional about how much water we use. In recent weeks as temperatures have soared, we’ve seen plenty of social media coverage about the heatwave and the possibility of water shortages. Comments from trolls aside – the general theme we caught was ‘how can the UK run out of water when it rains so much?’… yikes! We’ve previously dispelled the myths about the supply and demand of water. Now, we’re going to give everyone an insight into just how much water they use on a daily basis.
What should our daily water usage be?
On average, we use roughly 142 litres per day. This may seem like a big number to you, it may seem small, but when you compare it with Germany at 121 litres – it’s clear we’re living a luxurious water lifestyle. We believe it’s because of all the conversations that we witnessed on social media.
People assume that rain means loads of water availability. First of all, as valued Greenredeem readers, we hope you’re spreading to dispel these crazy myths too – feel free to share this blog on Facebook in an attempt to help people see the light!
If we’re using 142 litres of water a day, what should we be aiming for? Well, 100 is the golden number! It’s restrictive, but not so much that you would notice it. It’s just a case of being a little bit nifty around the house and garden. Take a look at how you can calculate your water usage in the next section.
Steps to calculate your water usage
We don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by this. We know maths isn’t exacting a relaxing activity. But getting a ballpark figure is a great way to bring your water usage to life. So, let us list all the things you can do with water in your home and how much water it uses.
- Flushing the toilet – 6 litres per flush
- Running the bathroom tap – 6 litres per minute
- Using the shower for one minute – between 12 and 15 litres per minute
- Filling a washing up bowl – roughly 9 litres
- Using a dishwasher on an eco-setting – 10 litres
- Using a washing machine – 50 litres for the average modern machine cycle
- Filling a cooking pot – between 1-15L depending on size
- A glass of water – on average 240ml
- Having a bath – 100 litres (if you fill it just over halfway)
Grab your phone and open your calculator app and get adding. You probably go to the loo at least 3 times a day, that’s 18 litres. Bathroom taps run for two minutes if they’re not off while brushing your teeth – another 12 litres. Showers typically last between 5-10 minutes if you’re not shower savvy – that’s another 60 litres at best! Put the dishwasher on, a load of laundry and BOOM. You’ve hit 150 litres without even so much as a drop for drinking.
Managing your water usage at home
Now, calculating your usage every day can be a challenge so here’s how we suggest you look at this. 100 litres a day is 700 litres per week. Plan your week’s water usage where you can. Start off with your essential water. You know you need a 4-minute shower and to go to the toilet a few times a day. That’s roughly 70 litres minimum. Now you know you have 30 left to play with.
Saving 30 one day means the next day you could use the washing machine and still come under 200 litres for those two days. Alternatively, with your 30 litres left, you could do some food prepping and fill the dishwasher. That reduces the water you use for cooking for the rest of the week and maximises the efficiency of the water used in the dishwasher.
It’s a case of being water savvy and planning your usage. Once you’ve nailed your schedule and jotted it down, you won’t need to do it again. Just like you do with your zero waste food shopping list, a water planner is a great way to reduce without noticing a difference.
It also means that if one day you use 150 litres of water, you know you need to cut back for the next two days to hit your 700-litre weekly target. As with anything, it’s about balance.
It’s quite easy to calculate your water usage once you get familiar with how much water is used for certain activities. We’ve recently discussed water usage in the garden too, so if you need a refresher on that be sure to take a look. Paddling pools and hosepipes are notorious for causing issues in the summer months. Keep an eye out next week when we talk about the UK’s biggest issue when it comes to water usage – leaks.
6 Responses
I haven’t been credited with the points for watching the video ‘ How to Calculate your water usage’
Hi Martin, please get in touch with customer services via your Greenredeem dashboard and we will be able to assist
Information very interesting loveit
Great to read all these tips – and to hopefully make the savings! Of course, one thing not mentioned is the fact that those of us on a water meter can also reduce our bills – which makes for a win win all round! Keep up the good work.