Big Energy Saving Week

We are delighted to be supporting Big Energy Saving Week (BESW) opens in new window, which begins today. BESW is a national campaign, which aims to help people cut their energy bills, as well promoting the types of financial support available to those that need it.

This year’s theme is use your power to make a big difference – highlighting the small changes we can all make to save energy, money and the positive impact this can have on the environment.

To kick off the week, our water-saving expert Ana-Maria Millan shares some of her top tips to help you to start making simple changes to your water habits, which could cut your energy usage and keep more pounds in your pocket.

Switch and save

Although households cannot switch water supplier, there are still a number of ways to make a saving. Opting for a water meter can save some households more than a hundred pounds from their annual water bill, although not everyone will benefit. If you have more bedrooms than people in your house, there is a good chance you could save. Give our water meter calculator a go to see if it’s worth taking the plunge.

Save water, save energy

Did you know a dripping tap could waste as much as 5,300 litres of water a year – that’s enough to fill around 65 bathtubs a year, adding about £20 to your annual water bill! Make sure you get any drips and leaks fixed as soon as you can – to find reputable plumbers in your area, visit the WaterSafe website opens in new window.

Don’t run the tap to wash the dishes – this can waste as much as 8 litres of water a minute. Fill a washing up bowl instead or use a plug in the sink. You could also try only filling the kettle with as much water as you need and using your washing machine when it is full, ideally in a cool cycle. According to Citizens Advice, these simple changes could shave around £36 off your annual energy bill.

Instead of a daily bath, switch to a short shower instead and you’ll cut 30 per cent off your water usage. If a family of four each reduced their shower time by one minute every day, this could save an additional £75 on energy and water bills over the course of a year.

Stock up on freebies

Water companies offer lots of free water-saving devices that could help you save water – take a look at your water company’s website to find out more.
We’ll be sharing more simple ways to save water and energy throughout the week. Follow us on Facebook opens in new window, Twitter opens in new window and Instagram opens in new window and join the conversation by following #BESW20.