INSIDEOUT
WORLD WATER WEEK ADVICE FOR HOUSEHOLDERS IN WALES
To highlight World Water Week (1-6 September), the Energy Saving Trust have launched three new water advice leafl ets to help enable householders across Wales to reduce their water bills and save energy.
T
he Energy Saving Trust recently completed the largest and most com-
prehensive study of water use ever undertaken, revealing that homes in Wales use millions of litres of water every day and they could save £29 million on annual energy bills through be- ing more water effi cient . At Home with Water, a
report commissioned by the En- ergy Saving Trust Foundation in partnership with DEFRA, Procter and Gamble, Thames Water, Consumer Council for Water and SaveWaterSaveMoney, presented the fi ndings from a
study of 86,000 UK households –shedding light on how house- holders use water. The report found an average
shower lasts seven-and-a-half minutes. By cutting just one minute off that time, Welsh households would save £10.6 million on energy bills each year. The three leafl ets provide
homeowners with advice on using water meters correctly, water effi ciency tips and also information on assistance avail- able to householders in Wales who are struggling with water bills.
Duncan McCombie
Director of operations at Energy Saving Trust, Wales said: “When people think of energy use they think of heating and lighting, run- ning electrical appliances or fi lling the car with pet- rol. It’s all too easy to turn on the tap and not think about the consequences. “But there is an
environmental and energy cost attached to water which many people do not consider. On av- erage, hot water use contributes £228 to the average annual combined energy bill. “It’s clear that we are all
using more water-consuming appliances regularly, especially showers, but that doesn’t mean householders in Wales are powerless to control their water use.
“By reducing the amount of
water – especially hot water – that we use, we can cut down on the energy demands of our lifestyles, which have changed radically over the last 50 years. Following the advice in our leafl ets will help consumers to reduce their energy and water bills – and stop their money spiralling down the plughole.” To receive a copy of the
‘Water assistance’, ‘Water effi ciency tips’ or ‘Water me- ters’ leafl ets, please email
advicewales@est.org.uk.
ROGUE LANDLORD HOTLINE
Newport City Council now has a confi dential telephone number for the public to report landlords they think may be breaking the law. Already this year, the council has
prosecuted 10 landlords for failing to maintain their properties to legal standards or letting out unlicensed shared houses. Fines and costs total- ling £205,328 have been imposed by the courts. Councillor Gail Giles, cabinet member for licensing and statutory functions, said: “The council does its best to work with landlords to help them comply with the legislation but it is prepared to take action to protect vulnerable tenants. “It is extremely important that
houses of multiple occupation are licensed and safety standards are maintained for the well-being of both tenants and neighbours. “We would encourage members
of the public to report landlords that they suspect are not keeping to the rules so the council can take steps to deal with any rogue landlords.” The confi dential 24-hour tel-
ephone number is 01633 235233 and callers are asked to leave the address of the property; the landlord’s name (if known) and the problem. Calls can be made anonymously but people are asked to leave their details if they would like to be updated.
78 /
WEAREVOICE.CO.UK / SEPTEMBER.2013 @wearevoice
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