How to Reduce Your Water Bill UK — 15 Proven Ways to Save in 2026

The single most effective way to reduce your water bill in the UK is to get a water meter installed. Metered households pay only for the water they actually use, while unmetered households pay a fixed charge based on the rateable value of their property — a system that has no connection to actual consumption. According to Ofwat, the average metered household pays around £150 less per year than an unmetered household with similar usage.

A water meter is particularly beneficial if you live alone, are a couple without children, or live in a property with a high rateable value. The general rule of thumb is: if the number of bedrooms in your home exceeds the number of occupants, a water meter will almost certainly save you money.

Metered vs unmetered: which is cheaper?

The answer depends on your household size and property. Here is how they compare:

Figures are approximate national averages based on Ofwat 2026/27 data. Unmetered bills vary by rateable value.

The 24-month trial period

In England and Wales, you can request a water meter and try it for up to 24 months. If you find your metered bill is higher than your unmetered bill would have been, you can switch back to unmetered billing within that window. This makes getting a meter completely risk-free. Contact your water company to arrange a free installation.

Whether you are on a meter or not, reducing your water consumption is good for the environment and your wallet. Here are 15 proven ways to cut your water usage, grouped by area of the home.

Bathroom (the biggest water user)

The bathroom accounts for around 60% of household water use. These changes make the biggest impact:

1. Take shorter showers. Cutting your shower time from 8 minutes to 4 minutes saves around 50 litres per shower. Over a year, a family of four could save over 70,000 litres and around £100 on metered water bills.
2. Switch from baths to showers. A typical bath uses 80 litres of water, while a 4-minute shower with an efficient shower head uses about 32 litres — less than half.
3. Install a low-flow shower head. An aerated shower head reduces flow from 12 litres per minute to around 8 litres per minute without noticeably reducing pressure. Many water companies provide these free of charge.
4. Fix dripping taps. A dripping tap wastes up to 5,500 litres per year — that is £15–£20 on a metered bill. A new washer costs less than £1 and takes 10 minutes to fit.
5. Use a dual-flush toilet or cistern displacement device. Older single-flush toilets use 13 litres per flush. A dual-flush retrofit or a cistern displacement bag (free from most water companies) cuts this to 6–9 litres.
6. Turn off the tap while brushing teeth. A running tap uses 6 litres per minute. Turning it off while brushing saves around 12 litres per person per day — that is over 8,700 litres per household per year.

Kitchen

7. Only run the dishwasher when full. A full dishwasher uses around 10 litres per cycle — far less than washing the same number of items by hand (which can use 60+ litres). But running half-empty cycles doubles your per-plate water cost.
8. Use a washing-up bowl instead of a running tap. Washing dishes under a running tap uses up to 150 litres per session. A bowl uses around 8–10 litres.
9. Only boil the water you need. This saves water, energy and time. Use the mug-measure trick: fill your mug or cup with water first, then pour it into the kettle.
10. Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl. Rather than rinsing under a running tap, use a bowl of water. You can reuse the water for houseplants afterwards.

Garden

11. Use a water butt to collect rainwater. A standard water butt holds 200 litres and fills up quickly in UK weather. Use collected rainwater for the garden, washing the car and cleaning outdoor areas. Some water companies offer subsidised water butts.
12. Water the garden in the early morning or evening. Watering during the heat of the day means much of it evaporates before reaching plant roots. Early morning or evening watering reduces evaporation by up to 90%.
13. Use a watering can instead of a hosepipe. A garden hose uses around 1,000 litres per hour. A watering can uses 10 litres and targets water exactly where it is needed.

General

14. Only run the washing machine with a full load. A typical washing machine uses 50 litres per cycle. Running two half-loads uses twice the water. If you need to wash a small load, use the half-load or eco setting if your machine has one.
15. Check for and fix leaks regularly. A leaking toilet can waste 400 litres per day without you realising. Check for leaks at least once a season (see our leak detection section below).

If you are on a water meter and worried about high usage, the WaterSure scheme could cap your bill at the average for your area. WaterSure is a government-backed initiative designed to protect vulnerable households from high metered water bills.

Who qualifies for WaterSure?

You must meet all three of the following criteria:

1. You have a water meter (or will be getting one installed).
2. You or someone in your household receives a qualifying benefit, such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit, or Council Tax Reduction.
3. You have either: three or more dependent children under 19 living at home, or someone in the household has a medical condition that requires significant additional water use (such as kidney dialysis, Crohn’s disease, eczema requiring frequent bathing, or incontinence).

How much can WaterSure save?

WaterSure caps your combined water and sewerage bill at the average household bill for your water company’s region. In 2026/27, average bills range from around £350 to £550 depending on the region. If your actual metered usage would result in a higher bill, the cap kicks in and you pay only the average. This can save qualifying households £100–£300 per year.

To apply, contact your water company directly. They will ask for proof of your qualifying benefit and your household circumstances. Applications are typically processed within 2–4 weeks.

For more help with household bills, see our guide to getting help paying energy bills.

Most UK water companies offer free water-saving devices to their customers. These small gadgets can reduce your water consumption significantly without any change in lifestyle. Here is what is typically available:

• Shower timer. A simple 4-minute sand timer that sticks to your shower wall. Helps family members stick to shorter showers.
• Tap aerator. A small attachment that fits onto the end of your taps and mixes air into the water stream. Reduces flow by up to 50% while maintaining the feeling of good water pressure. Saves around 6,000 litres per year per tap.
• Cistern displacement device (save bag). A bag that sits inside your toilet cistern and displaces around 1–2 litres of water per flush. Over a year, this saves around 5,000 litres per toilet.
• Low-flow shower head. Some water companies provide free eco shower heads that reduce flow to 8 litres per minute (compared to 12+ for a standard shower head). Saves up to 15,000 litres per year.
• Garden hose gun. Replaces an open-ended hose nozzle with a trigger-operated gun, so water only flows when you are actively using it.
• Leaky loo strip. A colour-changing strip that you place in the toilet cistern to detect slow leaks that are invisible to the eye but waste thousands of litres per year.

To order free devices, visit your water company’s website and search for “free water-saving devices” or “water efficiency pack.” Most companies post them directly to your door within 7–10 days.

Water leaks are one of the biggest causes of unexpectedly high water bills. A running toilet alone can waste £300 per year on a metered bill, and many leaks go unnoticed for months.

The meter test (for metered households)

1. Turn off all taps and water-using appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, etc.).
2. Note your meter reading and the time.
3. Wait 30 minutes without using any water.
4. Check the meter again. If the reading has changed, you have a leak somewhere.

Common leak sources

• Running toilets. Lift the lid off your cistern and look for movement in the water when the toilet has not been flushed recently. You can also add a few drops of food colouring to the cistern — if colour appears in the bowl without flushing, the valve is leaking.
• Dripping taps. Even a slow drip wastes 5,500 litres per year. Replace the washer (a 10-minute job) or call a plumber.
• Pipes under the floor. Look for unexplained damp patches on floors, walls or ceilings. If you suspect a hidden leak, contact your water company — many offer free leak detection services.
• External supply pipe. The pipe running from the water main to your property boundary is the water company’s responsibility. The pipe from the boundary to your home is yours. If you find a leak on your side, most water companies offer a free first-time repair.

If you have a water meter, your water company may also offer a leak allowance — a rebate on your bill for the period during which an undetected leak was inflating your usage. Contact them as soon as you discover a leak to ask about this.

Water bills in the UK vary significantly by region because water and sewerage services are provided by regional monopolies — you cannot switch water company the way you can switch energy supplier. Here are the average bills by region for 2026/27:

Figures from Ofwat 2026/27 determination. Bills include water supply and sewerage charges.

If your bill is significantly above the average for your region, it is worth investigating. Check for leaks, consider a water meter if you do not have one, and apply for WaterSure if you qualify. You can also use our savings calculator to see how your total household bills compare.

While you cannot switch your water company, you can switch your energy supplier and save on gas and electricity. Many households find that a combined bill review across all utilities reveals savings of £50–£80 per month. Our energy bill reduction guide covers this in detail.