How to Save Water in the House: Quick Tips to Cut Your Bill
- Luke Yeates
- 13 minutes ago
- 12 min read
Saving water in your house really boils down to three things: fixing leaks, installing efficient fixtures, and adopting simple new habits like shorter showers and turning off taps. When you add them all up, these small changes can make a big dent in your water bill and help protect our local environment.
Your Practical Guide to Saving Water in Eastbourne
For many of us homeowners in Eastbourne, the push to conserve water feels more urgent than ever. Our local chalk streams, like the River Cuckmere, are under real pressure from demand, and it’s a shared responsibility to protect them. It's easy to assume your water usage is fine, but small, unnoticed habits can quickly add up, putting a strain on both the environment and your budget.
This guide cuts through the noise and offers real-world strategies that actually make a difference. We’ll start with simple behaviour changes you can make today, then move on to smart plumbing upgrades that pay for themselves over time. As your local experts, Harrlie Plumbing and Heating is here to show you how every litre saved helps protect our beautiful Sussex surroundings.
Understanding Our Water Usage
It’s startling how much water we get through without even realising it. According to recent data from the Environment Agency, the average person in the UK uses roughly 136.5 litres of water every single day. This is a huge area where households can make significant savings, and it's why water efficiency has become such a national priority.
To put this into perspective, the government has set an ambitious target to reduce per capita water usage to 122 litres per person per day by March 2038, and further down to 110 litres per day by 2050.
Knowing exactly what you use is the first step toward reducing it. This is where your water meter becomes an invaluable tool. It gives you a clear picture of your household's consumption and helps you spot unusual spikes that might point to a hidden leak. We at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating have seen countless Eastbourne homeowners shocked by their meter readings, which often highlights a problem they never knew they had.
If you're unsure how to get started, you might find our quick guide for Eastbourne homes on how to read your water meter useful. Once you understand your baseline, you can set realistic goals and track your progress effectively.
Uncovering Your Home’s Hidden Water Hotspots
It’s a story we often hear from our clients across Eastbourne – that moment of genuine shock when they realise just how much water their home is actually using. The gap between what we think we use and what the meter actually clocks can be enormous. This section is all about pulling back the curtain on where every drop goes, from the morning shower to the evening washing-up.
Understanding your daily consumption is the first real step in learning how to save water in the house. The truth is, most British households are way off the mark. A shocking 46% of people believe their household uses under 20 litres a day. The reality? It's closer to 323 litres daily. This perception gap is huge, but it's also our biggest opportunity to make a change. You can explore more on these UK household water usage insights to see just how wide the difference is.
Think of this as your diagnostic phase. Before you change a single thing, you need to know where your efforts will count the most.
The Big Three Water Consumers in Your Home
In most Eastbourne homes, the bulk of your water bill can be traced back to just a few key culprits. These are the "hotspots" where even small tweaks can lead to big savings.
Toilets: Older, single-flush cisterns are notoriously thirsty, guzzling up to 13 litres per flush. A modern dual-flush system, which we at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating frequently install in properties from Meads to Langney, can slash this by over 60%.
Showers: Your average showerhead can pump out around 15 litres of water per minute. For a family of four each taking a quick 5-minute shower, that’s over 400 litres of (usually heated) water going down the drain every week.
Taps: From the kitchen sink to the bathroom basin, taps are the silent water wasters. A running tap can waste more than 6 litres per minute. That means brushing your teeth for two minutes with the water on uses more water than you'll drink all day.
By identifying these main culprits, you can stop guessing and start targeting your efforts. A quick audit of your own habits and fixtures will likely reveal where most of your water—and money—is going down the drain.
How Everyday Habits Add Up
Beyond the major fixtures, it’s the small, seemingly harmless habits that quietly inflate your water consumption. The good news is these are often the easiest and quickest wins when you're looking for ways to save.
Picture a typical day in a household near Sovereign Harbour. The dishwasher gets run when it's only half full. The tap is left running while washing vegetables. The garden gets a quick spray with the hose in the evening. Each action feels insignificant on its own, but together they can easily add hundreds of litres to your weekly total, putting a strain on our local water sources.
Recognising these patterns is the key. It’s the first step to unlocking some really easy and immediate savings.
Finding and Fixing Those Costly Hidden Leaks
The most expensive water you pay for is often the water you never even see. I've seen it time and again: a homeowner in Eastbourne gets a surprisingly high water bill and can't figure out why. More often than not, the culprit is a hidden leak. A client of ours in the Old Town area of Eastbourne recently found a slow leak from their toilet was costing them nearly £200 a year.
The good news? Finding them is usually easier than you’d think. A single, slow-dripping tap can waste an incredible 5,500 litres of water in a year. That’s enough to fill more than 60 bathtubs! Taking a few minutes to play detective can stop that money from literally going down the drain.
Your Quick Leak Detection Checklist
You don't need specialist gear to run a basic check. Just start with the usual suspects, as this is where you'll find the quickest wins for your wallet.
The Water Meter Test: This is the definitive way to know if you've got a leak. First, make sure every single tap, appliance, and water-using device in your house is switched off. Head outside to your water meter, take a reading (a quick photo on your phone works well), and then wait for about 30 minutes. If the reading has ticked up when you check again, you’ve got a leak somewhere.
The Toilet Food Colouring Trick: Toilets are notorious for silent leaks. To check yours, just add a few drops of food colouring into the cistern (the tank at the back). Now, don't flush for about 15 minutes. If you see any of that colour seeping into the toilet bowl, you've found your leak. It's a simple but surprisingly effective trick we recommend to all our Eastbourne customers.
A Quick Visual Sweep: Walk around and give your taps, showerheads, and the pipes under your sinks a quick look. You're searching for constant drips, tell-tale rust stains, or small puddles of water, paying close attention to the joints and connectors.
When to DIY and When to Call a Pro
Some little jobs are perfect for a weekend DIY fix. That annoying dripping tap, for example, often just needs a new washer. If you're feeling handy, we've put together some advice in our guide on how to fix a dripping tap for UK homeowners.
But some leaks absolutely need an expert eye. If your water meter test confirms a leak but you can't find the source for the life of you, it's time to call in the professionals. The same goes for any damp patches you spot on walls or ceilings.
A hidden leak inside a wall or under a floor can cause serious structural damage if it's ignored. Here at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating, we use specialist equipment to pinpoint these hidden problems quickly, saving Eastbourne residents from much bigger headaches and repair bills down the line.
For extra peace of mind, it's well worth looking into the best smart water leak detectors on the market. These clever little devices can give you an early warning by sending an alert straight to your phone if they sense moisture where it shouldn't be.
Honestly, fixing leaks is one of the most impactful things you can do to cut your water consumption and your bills. A quick check today could easily save you hundreds of pounds and stop a small drip from becoming a major disaster.
Smart Fixture Upgrades That Pay for Themselves
Changing your daily habits is a fantastic start, but if you want to make a serious dent in your water usage, upgrading your home's fixtures is where the real magic happens. Think of it this way: technology provides a reliable, automatic way to cut consumption day in, day out, without you even having to think about it.
Every time you flush the loo or turn on the shower, an efficient fixture is working in the background, saving water and the energy needed to heat it. For many Eastbourne homeowners we speak to at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating, these upgrades are the key to unlocking significant long-term savings on their utility bills.
This chart shows the most common culprits for hidden water waste that modern fixtures are designed to prevent.
It’s pretty clear how seemingly minor issues like a dripping tap or a constantly running toilet can add up to the bulk of unintended water loss in a typical home.
Upgrades with the Best Return on Investment
Deciding where to put your money first can feel a bit tricky, but based on the hundreds of installations we've carried out across Eastbourne and Hastings, a few clear winners always emerge.
Low-Flow Showerheads: An old, inefficient showerhead can gush out 15 litres of water per minute or even more. A modern water-saving model slashes that down to just 8 litres per minute without you even noticing a difference in pressure, thanks to some clever aeration technology.
Dual-Flush Toilets: This one is a real game-changer. An old single-flush toilet can use up to a whopping 13 litres with every single flush. A dual-flush model, on the other hand, uses just 4-6 litres for a full flush and even less for a half flush. The savings add up incredibly quickly.
Tap Aerators: These are brilliant little devices that you can screw onto the end of your existing kitchen and bathroom taps. They mix air into the water stream, which can cut your water flow by up to 50% while still feeling like you have strong pressure. A cheap and cheerful fix with a big impact.
The real beauty of these upgrades is the dual saving. Because you're using less hot water for showers and washing up, you're not just cutting your water bill from Southern Water—you're also saving a significant amount on the gas or electricity used to heat it. A recent Harrlie Plumbing and Heating client in Hampden Park saw their combined utility bills drop by over £20 a month after these simple upgrades.
Comparing Water-Saving Upgrades
See how much water and money you could save by switching to modern, efficient fixtures.
Fixture Upgrade | Old Model Usage (per use/min) | Efficient Model Usage (per use/min) | Potential Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Showerhead | 15 litres/minute | 8 litres/minute | £70-£95 |
Toilet | 13 litres/flush | 4-6 litres/flush | £50-£70 |
Tap Aerator | 10-15 litres/minute | 5-7 litres/minute | £20-£30 |
Savings are estimates for an average family and can vary based on usage and utility rates.
These figures really highlight how quickly the initial cost of an upgrade can be paid back through lower bills.
Why Professional Installation Matters
While some smaller jobs like fitting tap aerators are simple enough to do yourself, you'll want a professional touch for new toilets and shower systems. A poorly installed fixture can easily lead to leaks, completely wiping out your potential savings and even causing expensive water damage.
At Harrlie Plumbing and Heating, we make sure every fixture is fitted correctly to perform at its peak efficiency. For example, when we install a new dual-flush toilet in an older Eastbourne property, we don't just connect it; we check the existing pipework and pressure to guarantee it functions flawlessly from day one.
Ultimately, it helps to see these fixtures as an investment rather than an expense. They actively work to reduce your bills, protect our local environment, and often pay for themselves much faster than you might think.
Smarter Water Use in Your Kitchen and Garden
True water efficiency extends far beyond the bathroom. Your kitchen and garden are two of the biggest battlegrounds in the fight to save water, and a few smart adjustments here can lead to thousands of litres saved each year. These simple changes are key to managing your entire property's water footprint.
In the kitchen, the running tap is often the main culprit. Instead of letting litres of perfectly good water flow down the drain while washing vegetables or doing the dishes, just pop a washing-up bowl in the sink. It's a tiny change that saves a surprising amount of water over the course of a week.
Another easy win is to be more mindful of your appliances. A modern dishwasher is incredibly efficient—often using less water than washing up by hand—but only if you use it properly. Always wait until you have a full load before running a cycle to maximise every single drop.
Cultivating a Water-Wise Eastbourne Garden
For Eastbourne's passionate gardeners, keeping plants healthy during our sunny spells can feel like a constant battle against a rising water bill. But a beautiful garden doesn't have to be a thirsty one. The secret is to work with our local climate, not against it.
One of the most effective steps you can take is to harvest rainwater. Installing a water butt to collect the runoff from your roof is a simple, low-cost solution that provides a free, sustainable water source for your plants. It’s a classic for a reason—it just works. At Harrlie Plumbing and Heating, we can even help you connect an outdoor tap to make using that collected water even easier.
Timing is also crucial. Watering your garden in the heat of the day means a huge amount of that precious water is lost to evaporation before it even reaches the roots.
By watering in the cool of the early morning or late evening, you ensure that more water is absorbed by the soil, making your efforts far more effective and efficient.
Choosing Plants for a Resilient Garden
A long-term strategy for a low-water garden involves choosing the right plants from the start. Plenty of beautiful, vibrant plants are naturally drought-resistant and thrive in the coastal conditions we have here in Eastbourne.
Consider plants that are well-suited to our chalky soil and can handle periods with less rainfall. Think about incorporating species like:
Lavender: Not only does it look and smell fantastic, but it's also incredibly hardy and requires minimal watering once established.
Sedums: These succulents store water in their leaves, making them perfect for sunny, dry spots in your garden.
Grasses: Ornamental grasses can add texture and movement to your garden while being very low-maintenance.
To create a beautiful and sustainable outdoor space, you can also draw inspiration from smart drought tolerant landscaping ideas that are designed to significantly reduce water consumption. By making thoughtful choices in the kitchen and garden, you'll be well on your way to mastering how to save water in the house.
Your Water-Saving Questions Answered
We get it. Starting to think about saving water can bring up a lot of questions. As Eastbourne’s local plumbing experts, we at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating hear them all the time. So, here are some clear, straightforward answers to the most common queries we get, helping you feel confident as you start cutting back on your water use at home.
How Much Can I Actually Save on My Water Bill?
This is the big one, isn't it? While the exact amount varies from home to home, the impact is always real and noticeable.
For a family in a typical Eastbourne property, simply fixing a single dripping tap can save over £15 a year. That’s a start. The bigger wins, though, come from upgrades. Swapping an old, inefficient showerhead for a modern water-saving model could save a family of four up to £70 on gas bills and an additional £100 on their water bills every single year. The key is to find your home's unique water hotspots. We can help you pinpoint exactly where your biggest saving opportunities are hiding.
Is Getting a Water Meter a Good Idea for My Home?
For many Eastbourne residents, the answer is a definite yes. A meter is a powerful tool because it directly links your bill to your usage, which is a fantastic incentive to conserve. It’s often most beneficial if you have fewer people living in your home than bedrooms.
With Southern Water continuing to expand its metering programme across our area, it's wise to be prepared. Before you make the switch, it’s a great idea to make sure your home's plumbing is leak-free to prevent any surprise high bills. Our team at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating can give your system a thorough check-up, making sure you’re ready to maximise your savings from day one.
Will a Water-Saving Showerhead Ruin My Water Pressure?
This is probably the most common myth we hear, but thankfully, it's just not true anymore. Modern water-efficient showerheads are engineered with clever aeration technology. This mixes air into the water stream, which creates the feeling of a full, powerful spray while using significantly less water.
Honestly, many of our customers in Eastbourne have told us their shower actually feels more powerful after we've installed a new, efficient model. At Harrlie Plumbing and Heating, we can recommend and fit a showerhead that is perfectly suited to your home's water pressure system, ensuring you get a fantastic shower experience while saving money.
What Is the First Thing I Should Do If I Find a Major Leak?
If you discover a significant leak, acting fast is crucial to prevent serious water damage to your property. Your first and most important step is to locate your internal stopcock and turn it off completely. This will immediately shut off the main water supply to your home.
You can find more detailed instructions in our helpful guide on how to turn off your water main in an emergency. Once the water is off, your next step is to call a professional.
For any plumbing emergencies in the Eastbourne area, our team offers a rapid response service to tackle the problem quickly, professionally, and give you back your peace of mind.
From simple fixes to major upgrades, every step you take to save water makes a difference. If you need expert advice or professional installation for any water-saving solutions in your Eastbourne home, the team at Harrlie Plumbing and Heating is ready to help. Visit us at https://www.harrlieplumbing.co.uk to schedule a consultation.
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