Water Bill Saving Tips UK — How to Reduce Your Water Costs

Water bills are often overlooked but add £400-£500+ to annual costs. Here’s how to reduce them.

Understanding Water Bills

How Charges Work

Charge Type	What It Covers
Water supply	Clean water to your tap
Sewerage	Waste water removal
Surface water drainage	Rainwater from property
Total	Typically 40% water, 60% sewerage

Metered vs Unmetered

Metered	Unmetered
Pay for what you use	Based on property rateable value
Variable bills	Fixed bills
Control costs	No control over charge
Lower for small households	May suit large households

Average Water Bills

By Region (2024)

Region	Typical Annual Bill
South West	£550-£600
Wales	£500-£550
Wessex	£500-£540
Southern	£480-£520
Anglian	£470-£500
Yorkshire	£420-£460
Severn Trent	£400-£440
North West	£400-£450
Average UK	£450-£520

By Household Size (Metered)

Household	Typical Annual
1 person	£250-£350
2 people	£350-£450
3 people	£450-£550
4 people	£500-£600
5+ people	£550-£700+

Getting a Water Meter

Who Should Consider

Good Candidates	Probably Not
1-2 people	Large families
Water-conscious	High water users
No garden/small garden	Large gardens to water
Modern efficient appliances	Older appliances
Working away often	Always home

Rule of Thumb

Compare	Get a Meter If
Bedrooms vs people	More bedrooms than people
Typical	2 person in 3-bed house

How to Get One

Step	Details
Request from water company	Free installation
Installation	Usually external
Trial period	2 years to switch back
No obligation	Try risk-free

What to Expect

After Installation	Details
Assessment period	Bill may be higher initially
Get baseline	First year shows true usage
If unhappy	Can return to unmetered within 2 years
Long-term	Usually saves money if suitable

Reducing Water Usage

Biggest Water Uses

Activity	Litres Used
Bath	80-100 litres
Shower (8 mins)	60-80 litres
Power shower (8 mins)	100-150 litres
Toilet flush	6-13 litres
Washing machine	50-60 litres
Dishwasher	10-15 litres
Watering garden (hosepipe)	1,000 litres/hour

Easy Savings

Change	Saving
Shorter showers (4 mins vs 8)	20,000+ litres/year
Fix dripping tap	5,000 litres/year
Full loads only (washer)	10,000 litres/year
Turn tap off brushing teeth	6,000 litres/year
Use watering can not hose	Significant

Saving Devices

Device	Saving
Cistern displacement (toilet)	1-3 litres per flush
Low-flow showerhead	30-50% less water
Tap aerators	Reduce flow
Water butt	Free garden water
Dual flush toilet	4-6 vs 9-13 litres

Free Water-Saving Products

Get From	What’s Available
Water company websites	Free devices
SaveWaterSaveMoney.co.uk	Many free items
Includes	Shower timers, tap inserts, toilet devices

Help With Bills

WaterSure Scheme

Eligibility	Details
Must be	On water meter
And	Receiving qualifying benefit
And	High essential water use
Examples	Medical condition, 3+ children
Cap	Bill capped at average

Social Tariffs

Scheme	What It Offers
Name varies by company	Reduced bills for low income
Typical discount	20-50% off
Eligibility	Usually income-based
How to apply	Through water company

By Company (Examples)

Company	Social Tariff Name
Thames Water	WaterHelp
Severn Trent	Big Difference Scheme
United Utilities	Help to Pay
Yorkshire Water	Resolve
Anglian Water	LITE

Payment Plans

If Struggling	Options
Payment arrangements	Spread cost
Hardship funds	One-off help
Water debt advice	Through Citizens Advice
Payment breaks	Some companies offer

Checking for Leaks

Why It Matters (Metered)

Leak Impact	Cost
Dripping tap	£20-£40/year
Running toilet	£100-£300/year
Underground leak	£500+/year

How to Check

Test	Method
Tap test	Listen, look for drips
Toilet test	Food colouring in cistern
Meter test	Turn everything off, check meter
Underground	Unusually high bills, wet patches

Meter Test for Leaks

Step	Action
1	Turn off all taps and appliances
2	Note meter reading
3	Wait 1-2 hours (don’t use water)
4	Check meter again
5	If changed = leak somewhere

If You Find a Leak

Leak Location	Responsibility
Inside your home	You fix it
Between meter and property	You fix it (supply pipe)
Company’s pipe	They fix it
Underground on your land	May be complex

Some companies offer free/subsidised supply pipe repairs.

Summary: Water Bill Checklist

Reduce Usage

Action	Done
Fix dripping taps	☐
Shorter showers	☐
Full washing loads only	☐
Water-efficient devices	☐
Check for leaks	☐

Check Your Bill

Check	Done
Correct property	☐
Meter reading accurate	☐
Would meter save money?	☐
Any discounts you qualify for?	☐

Get Help If Needed

Scheme	Check Eligibility
WaterSure	☐
Social tariff	☐
Payment plan	☐
Hardship fund	☐

Key Numbers

Metric	Typical
Average bill	£450-£520/year
Meter saves	£50-£200/year (if suitable)
Water use	150 litres/person/day average
Cost per litre	~0.3p

Free Resources

Resource	Get From
Free water-saving devices	Your water company
SaveWaterSaveMoney.co.uk	Online
Leak detection	Request from supplier

Water bills are fixed costs you can reduce through usage changes and getting a meter if suitable. Check eligibility for help schemes — many people miss out on support they qualify for.