How To Beat The Water Price Hikes!

Read 20 tips to reduce your water bills. Hopefully, you'll more than make up for this year's increase in prices.

From this month, average water bills will go up by 7%. For some, bills may go up by 16%. We can't be surprised by these increases. Problem is, until we can switch water companies as easily as gas and electricity providers, we're stuck.

There's no getting around it, we have to pay our friendly, local water monopolies. However, it's possible for everyone to save some money by reducing the amount of hot water you use. If you get a water meter, you may save even more. According to regulator Ofwat, average unmetered bills next year will be £325, whereas the expected average metered bills will be £285.

This is most likely to suit small households who shower. (Rather than bath. I hope you do one or the other.) You should get metered water prices from your water company. Estimate your usage (here's a water usage calculator I found: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/5086298.stm) and then consider whether you can save by reducing the amount of water you consume and switching to a meter.

I've scoured the Internet for tips to reduce your water usage. Even if you don't want a meter, some of these tips will reduce your heating bill and, of course, any reduction will help the environment. Here are the tips, with help from Ofwat, Beatthedrought.com, The Consumer Council for Water and Waterwise.

• Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth to save up to six litres a minute.

• Take a shower instead of a bath. A five-minute shower uses about a third of the water of a bath. But remember that power showers can use more water than a bath in less than five minutes.

• If you must have a bath, ignore the curious looks you get from your family and take a bucket in the bathroom with you. You can use some of that water to water the houseplants and the garden.

• Old toilet cisterns can use as much as nine litres of clean water every flush. Reduce this by placing a 'save-a-flush' or 'hippo' in the cistern.

• Repair dripping taps.

• Collect rainwater from the roof by fitting a water butt.

• Give your plants a soaking once a week rather than watering daily.

• Water your plants in the cool early morning or evening, reducing the amount lost through evaporation.

• Water your garden with a watering can, not a hose. If you prefer to use a hose, fit a trigger nozzle to control the flow.

• Lawns can survive long periods of dry weather if the grass is not cut too short.

• Mulches such as wood chips, bark and gravel help to prevent water evaporation.

• Wash your car with a bucket of water.

• Vegetables and fruit should be washed in a bowl rather than under a running tap and the leftover water can be used for watering house plants.

• Save water as well as energy by using the minimum amount of water required when you boil water in saucepans and kettles.

• Wait until you have a full load before switching dishwasher and washing machines on.

• Modern diswashers can use a lot less water than hand-washing. Look for the energy efficiency 'A'-rated machines.

• You can get 'A'-rated washing machines too.

• Repair or replace leaking taps. A dripping tap losing one drop a second will waste 15 litres of water a day. Replace worn tap washers for a quick and cheap way of saving water.

• Ensure your water pipes and external taps are lagged (insulated) in time for the cold winter months. If they burst they will waste a great deal of water.

• Fill a jug with tap water and leave it to cool in your fridge. This way you don't have to run the tap for ages just to get a cold drink.

I don't have a water meter, so one concern I have is whether switching causes any problems? If you have a water meter, please help me and other Fools by letting us know what you think of yours. Have you saved money? Have you had problems? Has it all gone smoothly? Please post your tips on our Utilities board.

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