How to reduce your water bills

Tuesday, 15 March 2011 2:12 PM

Following the recent announcement of an increase in water bills across England and Wales, the Consumer Council for Water has offered some top money-saving tips.

According to the group's advice, the starting point for many of us would be to have a water meter installed.

Despite customers having been entitled to free meter installation for over a decade, many of those able to save have not yet made the switch.

A person currently living alone and paying an average unmetered water bill could potentially save around £100 a year, though for some the cost reduction could be even higher.

Generally, households can switch back to their unmetered service at any time within the first 12 months if they are unhappy with the results of the meter.

For those who already have a water meter, fixing dripping taps, installing a water-saving toilet flush and switching to more water-efficient appliances should help lower bills.

Roughly a quarter of a household's energy bill comes from heating water for baths, showers, laundry and washing up, so by lowering your water usage you could even save money on the gas and electric.

Dame Yve Buckland, chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: "Customers should not pay any more than they need to for their water or sewerage services.

"By taking a few minutes to consider our money-saving tips and to check their bills, customers can avoid losing out, and in some cases could make real savings."

For more information on ways to save money on water bills and to find out whether you could reduce your bills with a meter, visit CCWater.org.uk.

Want to be the first to know when we break a story? Follow @AboutProperty on Twitter.

Tags:
• household bills