Drastically Reduced Water Bill.

[Jennykenny]

Not so much a question as passing on some tips.
I have reduced my water bill from nearly £60.00 to £10.00 in less than a year.
I appreciate that this is considerably down to now being a one person-household, and not using so much as my husband was ill for some time before he died, but nevertheless...
I keep a bucket in the shower and use the run-off water to water non-edible plants.
I only do the washing up once a day (yes, I know, easier if you are a one-person household), immediately after my shower, (cuts down on gas bills), filling a watering can with the cooler running water rather than letting it run down the drain, and using it to water edible plants. And yes, it does use less water than a dishwasher.
The obvious tip of not running water while cleaning your teeth, can also be applied to when you wash your hands.
Delicate hand-wash only clothes can be washed in the shower bucket and then rinsed in clean water, which again can be used to water the garden.
I bought six plastic buckets from poundland and have dotted them about the garden, (for various reasons can't have have the big barrels to collect run-off rainwater) and use them to collect rainwater.
Not boiling whole kettles of water means fresh water for tea and lower electric bills, (have managed to cut gas and electric bills down to the extent that I was emailed to ask if I had given correct readings - thoroughly recommend OVO, by the way).
When I steam vegetables, I let the water cool and use as a 'feed' for my plants.
The water from my hot water bottle is recycled into the garden.
I think I can genuinely say that I very rarely waste a single drop of water.
Just some thoughts I wanted to pass on.

[diddlydo]

What about flushing the loo?!

[fiction-factory]

Yes, it's amazing how much a water meter can make us much more careful with our water. We don't go to the same lengths as you but do, for example, reuse water for watering plants.
I assume that's a monthly bill. Is that the total bill? Even with a water meter there is still a standing charge element which I thought would come pretty close to £10 a month

[janbee]

My water bill was cut when I got a water meter installed. That was about 8 years ago and wish I'd done it earlier. Wow, what a difference.

[Jennykenny]

Yes, flushing the loo, I had forgotten about that.
When I spend a penny, I only flush it every second time, (obviously not when I have friends staying), or use some of the shower water.
That's a month yes, and I have a water meter.
I suspect that it will go up shortly, but not by a lot I hope, as I think I was in a lot of credit.

[silliemillie]

Over what period is your saving?

[diddlydo]

Oh - so £10 is not your actual water use but what you're currently paying by Direct Debit because you had built up some credit? How on earth did you manage to use £60 per month? Our annual water bills come to £280 (including all standing charges/sewage treatment etc) - there are 2 of us, we each shower every day, dishwasher goes on every day, washing machine 3-4 times a week, we water the garden when the water butts are empty. We try not to waste water but we don't do extreme measures. We used to pay far more than that before we had a meter fitted.

[Boto]

That's too much hassle, life's too short to catch the shower water.

[theshedman]

Living in Devon our water bill was over £1200 a year before we got a meter fitted a couple of years ago. Now we only pay just over half of that. We use some of the tips you all say about and after a while it just comes as second nature. One of our biggest waste things has been running the hot tap in the kitchen and waiting for it to get hot. Now we put that water in a jug and use it for filling watering can. The water company also gave us a couple of things to put in the toilet cistern which cuts down on the amount it uses for flushing.

[bhg481]

If you have a power-shower you can get a gizmo to fit on the shower-head to reduce the pressure and so use less water. We got ours free from somewhere - I wouldn't think it's worth paying much money for. If it is a power-shower you may also be able to reduce the pump-pressure with a selector on the pump.

[Gromit]

Seems like your who water recycling is geared around watering your plants.

Instead of buying plastic buckets, you should have bought plastic flowers.

[Peter Pedant]

and dont forget to go to the bog in someone elses house when you visit

sorry about your bereavement Jay jay and I hope things get better....

I am currently immuno suppressed and each time I turn on a tap ( yes every time ) I think thank God this is on tap and I dont have to draw it out of a well or anything - and I just thank God there is a lot of it....

[hc4361]

I put unused hot water from the kettle in to a flask and use it for washing up or cooking

[cupotee2]

I don't have the hot water on every day.

I find it such a waste waiting for the hot water to reach the tap, from the tank...so, use a kettle for small amounts such as washing a few dishes.

Save on electricity too that way.