The 22nd of March is World Water Day.
We’ve pulled together our favourite water saving actions that we hope will inspire you, your colleagues and people in your community to start making small, water saving changes this World Water Day.
Why save water?
According the UN, if we continue using water like we are today, we could face a 40% shortfall in water availability by 2030. Pretty stark. Luckily, there are loads of easy ways we can reduce the amount of water we use.
Turn off the tap and pledge Tip Top Taps
New to it
🚰 Plug it Washing up under running water uses 6 litres of water per minute. Fill a bowl and use eco friendly detergent so you don’t need to rinse.
🚰 Turn it When brushing teeth, washing hands, watering plants and more, pledge tip top taps and start using exactly the amount of water you need, and no more.
Doing it
🚰 Air it Add a water saving aerator to all your taps.
Done it
🚰 Save it Ever run the tap till it gets to the right temp? Keep a jug or bottle by the sink and capture that precious water. Use it for drinking, filling the kettle and so on.
Shorten your showers and pledge Shower Power
The average UK shower runs for 8 mins and costs an average family up to £918 a year. Short showers mean more water, time and money. Triple win.
New to it
🚿 Flow it Power showers use 13 litres of water per minute. For the same effect yet half the water usage, get an aerated or low-flow shower head.
🚿 Tune in: Keep your shower to 2 – 3 minutes with our Spotify Shower Power playlist.
🚿 Time it: Get a free shower timer from Save Water Save Money.
“Definitely helps to have some kind of timer to help keep focus!”
Doing it
🚿 Stop it Turn the water off in the middle of your shower, Navy style.
🚿 Wash it Wash your hair over the tub. You can stay fully clothed whilst you turn the water off when shampooing, navy style.
Done it
🚿 Be cool Cooler showers save energy and water. Try cold showers and reap the health benefits.
“I’m usually in a rush anyway, however, used to leave shower running before I got in – made me more aware of not leaving it on too long before!”
Save water when you flush and pledge Cistern Saver
Fancy saving up to 15,000 litres of water a year by simply popping something in your cistern? Yep, it’s that simple.
New to it
💦 Hippo it For handle*, lever or chain operated toilets, put a hippo in it. Your water provider may give you one for free, or reuse a plastic milk carton or bottle.
*Push button, dual flush toilets and newly made toilets are already pretty efficient.
Doing it
💦 Work it Offices and other buildings can save £3 per person by installing water saving measures. So send this compelling info to your facilities people this World Water Day, then pledge Voice up to track your impact.
Done it
💦 “Flush” it This shows commitment. Save bath or shower water and use a bucket or jug to “flush”.
“So easy and free to get a bag to put in our cistern – why wouldn’t you!?”
Maximise your dishwasher and pledge Fully Loaded
However you like to stack it, the main thing for World Water Day is that it’s full. No dishwasher? See our Tip Top Taps action.
New to it
🧼 Load it Using a dishwasher is more efficient and more effective at killing germs than hand washing. So get loading.
🧼 Fill it Only run the machine when it’s full.
🧼 Scrape it Always scrape your plates well. You don’t need to rinse them.
Doing it
🧼 Time it Put the dishwasher on at night. Unless you have solar panels when daytime is more energy efficient.
🧼 Eco it Use the eco or economy setting.
Done it
🧼 Boss it Follow these tips from Which? on keeping your dishwasher running efficiently. Take points 5 and 6 with a pinch of dishwasher salt.
🧼 Work it Introduce a pledge programme to your organisation so colleagues can pledge water-friendly behaviours at work and home.
Boil only what you need and pledge Tea Time
Two thirds of the UK boil more water than we need, so there’s lots of opportunities to save water on World Water Day and beyond. You’ll save energy and money too.
New to it
🫖 Mark it Draw a marker on your kettle, if it doesn’t already have one, to show how much is needed to fill your favourite mug.
🫖 Clean it Keep your kettle limescale-free if your kettle has a mug marker on a clear bit. (This saves money and energy too as limescale increases the boiling time .)
Doing it
🫖 Measure it Offering to make a cuppa? Apply your measuring prowess when making a round.
🫖 Hack it If you use a mug to measure and sometimes don’t have time, cut out the middle mug and draw a marker on your kettle (see above).
Done it
🫖 Expand it Pledge one of our other water saving measures – tip top taps, shower power and fully loaded.
“Took a little while to break the habit of always having a full kettle but now conscientiously check beforehand to make sure I am only boiling enough water that is required.”
Other ideas for World Water Day
Looking for more sustainable living tips and climate actions to pledge this World Water Day?
Take a look at our full menu of Do Actions.
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