Easy bathroom switch could help save up to £140 a year on water bills – and it costs just £4.99

HOUSEHOLDS could save up to £140 a year on water bills just by making one easy switch.

In April water bills are set to increase by 6.2% a year in England and Wales so it’s a great time to put some money-saving hacks in place.

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Plumbing experts from Trade Plumbing have revealed that Brits with water meters could save £137 a year by switching to a water-saving shower head.

In 2023, the average shower time is reported to be 8 minutes a day and just reducing this by 1 minute can save you even more money.

Research has revealed that using a water-saving shower head as well as reducing your shower time by one minute can increase that saving to more than £150 a year.

On average a regular shower head has a 12 litre per minute flow, whereas a water-saving shower head has around a 5.7 litre a minute flow.

The 6.3 litre difference reduces Brits’ water consumption by over 18,000 litres of water per year.

Based on the average water and sewerage cost per litre a normal shower head costs £261.38 per year and a low-flow shower head costs £124.16 per year, giving a saving of £137.22.

Peter Clayton, from Trade Plumbing said many Brits “shy away” from switching to a regulated flow shower head due to worries about shower quality and water pressure.

However, the plumbing expert added that “water-saving shower heads are known specifically to reduce water output while ensuring the shower experience is maintained.”

We had a look online to see how much it would cost if you wanted to switch up and change to a water-saving shower head.

As you might expect B&Q has a huge range depending on what style you want and how much you want to spend.

Prices start from as little as £4.99 for a handheld water-saving shower head.

The next price up from this is £10.99 for a Uppower shower head with three modes.

One customer who has reviewed this product online described it as “Amazing” and says it is “ideal for when hair washing”.

There are also larger shower heads that go up to as much as £39.99.

Screwfix also has a good selection on its website, we spotted a Hansgrohe eco-smart shower handset for £22.49.

As always it is good to do your own comparisons and shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal and the product that is right for you.

You can use comparison sites such as Google Shopping if you want to compare online prices across different retailers.

More tips on how to save money on your water bills

If you are on a water meter there are some things you can do to cut back on your water usage and save money.

Using the dual flush system on your toilet can help you cut down on your water bills and could save you up to £100 a year.

Many modern toilet systems come with a dual flush option but many users don’t know how much of a difference they can make.

The large flush can use 6 to 9 litres at a time, whereas the small flush uses less water, coming in at 3 to 4 litres.

Using the correct flush could save you 50-60% of the water in every use.

The large flush should be used for solid waste while the small flush for liquid waste.

You can also save money by turning the tap off when you brush your teeth, just this small change to your daily routine could save you quite a bit of cash..

If you brush your teeth for 2 minutes and let the tap run you could use over 12 litres of water – which could cost you over £60 a year.

Only using the tap to clean your brush and the sink will use a fraction of that.

If you haven’t already you could consider moving to a water meter to save some extra cash.

Obviously, if you do use a lot of water then it makes no sense to have a meter as your bills could go UP so think about how much your household uses before making the switch.

Having a water meter doesn’t help with the standard charge that’s based on where you live either, but it can help you cut down the costs of your personal usage at home.

What water bill help is available?

Water companies do offer support to struggling households.

This includes a cap on bills for large families and those with certain medical conditions through the WaterSure scheme.

To qualify for the scheme you need to already have a water meter installed, and prove you need to use a lot of water.

You can get more information on the Watersure scheme by calling your water company or contacting Citizens Advice.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk