Water saving tips

Top tips to weather winter

Winter is coming, but is your home ready? Forecasts say a wet, windy winter is on the way – and it could be one of the rainiest and coldest since records began. Follow our top winter tips to get your home ready for any weather.

A customers puts insulation around an indoor pipe

Insulate pipes

Frozen pipes can burst and damage your home. Pipe insulation keeps them warm when temperatures drop and is cheap to buy in most DIY shops.

Clear gutters and drains

Clearing leaves and moss from your gutter helps rainwater safely drain away. Blockages can lead to leaks, flooding, or mould.

Thaw frozen pipes

Not sure what to do if your pipes freeze? We recommend using a wrapped hot water bottle to thaw them out slowly. Just remember to turn your stop tap off first.

Keep your home cosy

Help keep your home cosy by bleeding radiators and draught-proofing windows and doors. We also recommend checking loft insulation is at least 10 inches thick.

We’ve also partnered with British Gas to bring you plumbing and drains cover to help protect your home.

Everyday water saving tips

If you’re motivated to save water, you’re doing the right thing for the community, the environment and the planet.

Our region’s supply is under pressure like never before. This is due to a sharp rise in population as well as an increase in extreme weather events. If we want to have a safe supply for future generations, we all need to save every drop we can, right now.

Smart meters are rolling out for everyone, making it easy to track your usage online. We've put together some water saving tips to help you save water:

Take shorter showers

Shaving two minutes off the average 10 minute shower saves £73 on water and energy bills a year and 20 litres of water, per person.

A father and child load the washing machine

Reduce your washes

By reducing the number of weekly washes by two, could save you £46 on water and energy bills.

Fix leaky loos

From a trickle, ripple or full flow, leaky loos on average waste 200-400 litres a day. It can add £100’s to your yearly bill.

Turn off the tap

You might be in a rush – but always turn the tap off when you brush! A running tap uses up to nine litres of water a minute.

A mother and daughter wash vegetables in the sink

Get creative in the kitchen

Use a bowl in the sink to wash your fruit, veg and dishes. Plus you can use the leftover water to give your plants a drink or wash the patio!

No ifs, just butts

Collecting rainwater off your roof into a water butt is a great way to save water. And your plants prefer fresh rain over treated water!

A young family on a bench in the park with winter hats on

Squeeze more from every drop

Take a look at your water use by answering some quick and easy questions.

Our water-saving calculator will provide you with a tailored report. You'll be able to view how much water and energy your household uses. Plus it'll show you how you can save.

Start your water saving journey today.

Check your water usage

Check for a leak

Our handy leaks page goes through how you can check for a leak in your home. It's also good to know how to turn your water off. If you need help with plumbing work, we have a range of WaterSafe approved plumbers available.