As the Government looks to roll out the scheme across the country and almost half of UK households now have water meters, every drop of water counts as it’s added to the bill. The survey has revealed the majority of households are underestimating their water usage and are not making a conscious effort to be more water efficient.
66% say the main appliances in their home are more than five years old – indicating the out of date, inefficient household appliances could be grounds for wasted water and in turn, wasted money.
Installing a water meter might seem like the most effective way for families to become more water conscious in order reduce household bills - indeed 2 in 3 (59%) claim to have installed the meter for this very reason and yet, 1 in 3 (32%) said they are yet to feel the financial benefits of the installation.
83% of those households with water meters admit to never using the eco, water efficient setting on their washing machines or dishwasher. Appliances made in more recent years generally offer more advanced eco settings, which can significantly reduce water usage – further supporting the need for modernising appliances in the home.
Mark Kelly, marketing manager at Appliances Direct, commented:
“As more and more homes in the UK look to install water meters in their homes in a bid to save money, we’re seeing the efforts wasted and often families are left paying more than they were before.
“Households could make staggering savings on water bills by upgrading everyday appliances as modern day dishwashers, shower heads, washing machines, and taps are built to be more economical and offer water meter friendly settings.
What was also surprising from the research was the amount of households that feel like they are not yet seeing the financial benefit of having a water meter installed on their water bill – an issue that could be resolved by a few making simple changes.”
