UK households are being urged to make a three-minute shower change to slash £170 off their annual water bills.
Shower experts say making a simple tweak to your shower routine can reduce your water consumption without sacrificing comfort.
According to the firm, cutting your shower time from eight minutes down to five can save an estimated £170 a year on your water bill – and you don’t have to change the temperature to make the saving.
The advice comes as water bills are set to rise by an average of £123 for households in England and Wales from April this year, pushing the average bill from £480 up to £608.
The increase is higher than the £86 hike originally forecast by regulator Ofwat in December, with the bills’ hikes coming to help fund an upgrade to water systems in the UK.
Daniel Lintell, shower expert at Triton Showers, said: “With household bills on the rise, many people are looking for practical ways to manage their water consumption and keep costs under control.
“One of the simplest ways that households can make a financial saving on their water bill is by simply reducing the amount of time they spend in the shower. Not only does this reduce water usage but it also cuts down the energy required to heat the water.
“If a family of three each shorten their average shower time from eight minutes to five – assuming they each have five showers per week at 41 degrees – they could save an estimated £170 a year on their water bill.
“With this small change to your routine, it’s easy to see a significant saving – conserving water and energy, without compromising on comfort.”
Of course, if giving up long showers isn’t for you then you could opt to install a water-saving shower head to reduce your costs.
Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert (MSE) says households in England and Wales that aren’t on a water meter can get one of these fitted for free and it can save a typical household around £50 a year.
Another easy money saving option is to simply turn off your shower while using shampoo, soap or shower gel and then switching it back on to rinse, as this saves both energy and water. You’ll also heat less water by doing this which helps cut costs, as well as your water usage.
And if you’re brave enough, you could swap hot showers for cold ones as this can reduce your energy usage and time spent in the shower – it’s also said to have physical and mental health benefits too.