• Don't flush the toilet every time you use it - as the saying goes: "If it's yellow let it mellow; if it's brown flush it down".

• Install a dual-flush toilet - then if necessary you can use short flushs for a pee and a longer flush for the rest.

• Put a suitable container in your toilet cistern - this could be a brick or plastic container or so-called hippo and it will restrict the amount of water used with each flush.

• Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth - a running tap uses more water than necessary.

• Take a shower instead of a bath - a conventional shower (as opposed to a power shower) uses around two-thirds less water than a bath.

• Don't use more water than you need to boil the kettle - if you're only making one or two cups of tea/coffee, you simply don't need to fill the kettle.

• Keep a jug of water in the fridge - then, when you want really cold water, you don't have to run the tap to get it.

• Don't run taps to rinse washing up - again this uses more water than you need for the task.

• Use cold, waste water to wash out jars for recycling - it does the job just as well.

• Only use the washing machine with a full load - even half-load programmes use more than half the water of a full load.

• Only use the dishwasher with a full load - if you have to buy more dishes and utensils, then do it.

• Never leave a tap dripping - if it needs a new washer, fix it.

• Don't use a garden sprinkler - it uses far too much water.

• Use plants that can withstand drought - Mediterranean species like lavenders, rosemary and cistus can survive with little water.

• Don't overreact to a brown lawn - it will come back with rain in the autumn.

• Use 'grey' water on the garden - this is old bath and washing up water (a reasonable amount of detergent will be no problem).

• Collect rain water - this is most easily done with the installation of a rain butt.

• Consider rainwater 'harvesting' - this is the posh version of a water butt and consists of a large tank that collects rain from the house guttering and pumps it into the home to be used for flushing the toilet.

• Wash the car with a sponge and bucket - a hosepipe uses far too much water.

• Consider installing a water meter - then you'll only pay for the water you actually use and having a precise measure will encourage you to economise.

• Report burst pipes immediately to the local water company - then make sure the burst is fixed as soon as possible.

Link: advice from the Consumer Council for Water click here

ROGER DARLINGTON

Last modified on 11 March 2007

If you have some ideas of your own e-mail me