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How much mains water do you use?

Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
in Tools and techniques
It's that time of year when some of us have just paid our water bills. This is my current usage and notes - how do others do?

In the UK the average is about 135-140l per person per day (graph below). The best in Northern Europe seems to be Denmark which uses just over 100l pppd. Water meters seem to reduce usage by about 25%.

Usage

2nd half 2020 - 190l per day
1st half 2021 - 260l per day

Notes

200sqm property occupied by one person.
Normal mains supply.
Water meter installed.
Use water butts for much gardening water, but also the hose.
Location: Midlands

I think that difference is mainly using the hose for watering the garden, and leaving the hose on by mistake, which suggests that a more organised tank/pumped garden system is the main opportunity for me to reduce usage, plus some sort of hose time or hose max-time-on switcher-offer.

But there may be a patio project soon, so potentially space for a decent size underground storage tank.

Ferdinand


“Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,199
    No idea. It doesn't apply in Scotland. We pay a fixed rate with our council tax. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • B3B3 Posts: 25,260
    Don't know but it peeves me that some company in France gets the profits
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    edited August 2021
    I was just looking at this last night. I have a smart metre but my stats have been in a mess because I had lodgers in and out and had a leak for ages over Covid period that Thames Water wouldn't come and fix. But I think Nov 2020 to May 21 is probably pretty accurate. Yes, I leave the hose on by mistake for a very long time at least once a year. Having a water feature is terrible for this as it covers the sound of my very quiet hose. Being scatty and very tired doesn't help. :D A friend who came to water for me while I was away once managed to leave the hose on and open for a week. :# But not recently.

    Start of Nov 2020 to start of May 2021 (six full winter months)
    36m3 (36 000 litres) = 6000 litres per month = 200 litres per day.
    I watered the garden less in that time as it was winter.
    One person. Garden 4mx7m.

    This summer I have done less than average summer watering as it's been so wet in London.  It will be interesting to check in with this when I get the Nov bill as I now have no lodgers and no leak and lots of rain. I have not saved any money by putting in a water metre (it seems) but don't pay any more either.

    This chart is my last month's water usage according to Thames Water metering.


    For those people who aren't keen on metres, I have to say that it is the only way that I would have known there was a leak, and indeed the pipes may have been leaking (outside the house) for a very long time before I found out.
  • gondorgondor Posts: 135
    edited August 2021
    100 litres per person per day? What a ridiculous amount. I've barely turned the tap on today so the people using far in excess of 100L per day - I'm paying for them and I hate it.
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited August 2021
    gondor said:
    100 litres per person per day? What a ridiculous amount. I've barely turned the tap on today so the people using far in excess of 100L per day - I'm paying for them and I hate it.
    How much do you use?

    A typical shower is 37 litres of water used.
    A typical loo flush is 8 litres of water used.
    A typical bath is 80l of water used.
    A typical washer load is 50l of water used.
    A typical dishwasher load is about 14l of water used. 
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 52,199
    When you factor in showering [especially if you have several people in your household] washing dishes, and using a washing machine, and a loo,  100 litres doesn't sound that much really  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • gondorgondor Posts: 135
    I need to think about my estimations before making a calculation. 10L per toilet flush. 12L per dishwasher run. 1L per hand wash. Etc. Per day average, takes some thinking about.
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited August 2021
    ..

    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,678
    150l/day including lots of watering of strawberries mainly. I seem to remember we use about 95L/day when we don't have a garden
  • FireFire Posts: 17,116
    edited August 2021
    gondor said:
    100 litres per person per day? What a ridiculous amount. I've barely turned the tap on today so the people using far in excess of 100L per day - I'm paying for them and I hate it.

    @gondor Can you get a water metre - then you wouldn't be paying for anyone else? And you would know exactly how much you are using. Do you not water plants?

    I do use the "grey water" from the bath in the garden. I have recently up-graded the ancient dishwasher and washing machine (when the doors rusted away and fell off :D). It will be interesting to see if a high-eco high-efficency model makes a difference to water usage. Apparently the dishwasher uses 6 litres per load on an eco setting - less than I would use in washing up. My biggest general usage is certainly baths and the garden. I'm ok with my degree of water usage. I don't feel like I waste it.

    At the moment I'm more concerned to get down my energy (carbon) usage, though yes, this does relate to water too.
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