July/August 2024
ertonline.co.uk
INSIGHT
Small changes make a BIG splash
12 in water savings at home
MDEA has launched its new Summer campaign focused on water savings; it’s called ‘More than a drop in the ocean’ and it highlights how householders can take a few simple actions, such as using eco settings and taking short showers instead of baths, to help conserve water and save on household bills. The association highlighted that many households could cut their water use by nearly a quarter (24 per cent), plus slash the corresponding cost from their heating bills, simply by using the technology in their installed appliances correctly. As an added bonus they could instantly achieve official residential targets for reduction of water use set for 2037. AMDEA advises that just by pressing the ‘eco’ button on a dishwasher and washing machine, and taking a daily five-minute shower instead of a bath, many households could easily meet the goal. Using ‘eco’ programmes for both dishes and laundry can save 15,000 litres a year, compared to ordinary cycles. And taking a short shower instead of a bath uses 40 litres less each time.
A The average personal daily water usage is 144
litres in England, and official targets aim to cut this to 122 litres by 2037 to make better use of existing resources as the UK’s population rises. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have higher average individual usage at 180, 150 and 145 litres respectively. The total saved for those who do not already use ‘eco’ programmes and take short showers could be as much as 24 per cent of a typical home’s water consumption, comfortably below the level of the England target. And adopting these measures to reduce the amount of water heated would also save enough energy to power a television 24/7 for an entire year!
Choosing the eco cycle
A study – commissioned by AMDEA as part of its Know Watt’s What campaign – found 30 per cent of people rarely or never considered water conservation when choosing a washing machine cycle, and 25 per cent took the same view with dishwashers. Many respondents were also unclear about how much water an ‘eco’ cycle saves and over a quarter admitted to not knowing. When asked to select which one of three cycles they thought used the least amount of water, more than half believed ‘eco’ cycles used the least water; however, more than a third (37 per cent) thought it was the quickest or hottest wash.
To watch AMDEA’s water-saving campaign video, visit
https://rb.gy/8etnon. Or you can also find it via the ERT website.
A study by AMDEA found that 30 per cent of people rarely or never considered water conservation when choosing a washing machine cycle, and 25 per cent took the same view with dishwashers. AMDEA wants to help change that!
The findings come as AMDEA invites the public to visit its award-winning Know Watt’s What site – which now contains valuable new content about how appliances can help reduce home water usage.
Consumers want to reduce their bills The study, conducted by YouGov, also revealed the main motivator for those households concerned with saving water was the desire to reduce bills (72 per cent) as opposed to protecting the environment (65 per cent) or ensuring future generations’ access to adequate water (46 per cent). The survey suggested that people appear oblivious to the link between running costs and water usage in washing machines and dishwashers, for which heating water is the main cost. Price and affordability scored highest with 75 per cent as consideration factors when buying a machine, then came energy rating and running costs at 70 per cent but only just over a third gave thought to water usage. AMDEA’s Chief Executive, Paul Hide, commented: “Showers, dishwashers and washing machines have become much more water and energy efficient over recent years, but it seems many people are still not taking advantage of the clever tech they have installed in their bathrooms and kitchens. “Our Know Watt’s What campaign reminds householders to make those small changes to the way they use their appliances, that can make a big difference to their domestic bills, their water consumption and the environment.”
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