Water Saving Week: Water and Energy

Taking place between 23 and 27 May, Water Saving Week is an annual week created by Waterwise to raise awareness of the issues around water use.

When we talk about water and Energy, mainly electricity, we think they are a dangerous combination, but actually, they are intrinsically linked.

All sources of energy require water for their production. On the flip side, energy is really important in the process of water supply; through pumping, transportation and treatment.

Today 15 percent of global water withdrawals are for energy production, but by 2035 we expect global energy consumption to increase by 50 percent. This in turn will increase water consumption by 85 percent.

Water efficiency and being mindful of how we use our water is crucial now to make sure there is enough to support these predicted increases.

Just as water and energy are linked in the production of one another, they are also linked in the home.

12 percent of energy costs in a gas warmed home come from heating water. This is why cutting a few minutes off your shower will save money and energy at the same time. The average shower uses around nine litres of water every minute, heated at a cost of around 1p per litre. A 10 minute shower chould cost around 60p per person, per day.

Cutting shower time by just two minutes would cut costs to around 48p per person, per day, saving around £43 per year for each person in your household. For a family of four, that's over £170 per year!

There are lots of ways you can save water and money in your home, by making just a few simple swaps. For ideas and more information, visit our Water Saving Week webpage.

* Figures from UNDESA and Waterwise