Responding to the news that water bills are set to get the most considerable increase in almost 20 years from April, the Unified Water Label Association (UWLA) targets consumers with a ‘USE LESS – USE THE LABEL’ campaign.
Yvonne Orgill, MD at the UWLA, says, “Given the current cost of living crisis, this proposed increase in annual bills, taking an annual water bill for an average household in England and Wales to £448, will have a big impact on households.”
“We want to help households make informed choices over their use of water in the home and encourage them to seek out products that carry the Unified Water Label. We are fortunate in that manufacturers have introduced innovative products that provide the opportunity to use less water, without compromising on functionality. With more and more companies coming on board to support the Unified Water Label, and promote these products, it is easier than ever to find them. The information provided on the Unified Water Label can help consumers make informed choices when it comes to selecting new, or upgrading existing water using products, in the home.
“The UWLA website has a wealth of information which is easy for consumers to access. There is an extensive directory of products to help find water-efficient products that meet different household needs.
“Just a few changes can make a significant impact. For example, old water guzzling WC’s, could be wasting around 4 billion litres of water per year. Homes that upgrade to a modern WC could immediately make a significant saving in water usage. Toilet flushing is one of the easiest ways to save water in the home. Modern dual-flush cistern WC’s are readily available. There are more than 3,000 WC’s that carry the Unified Water Label listed on the UWLA website.
“Another product switch that could have an immediate impact is the shower. Typically a shower may be using 12 litres a minute, research shows that a typical shower time is 7 minutes; giving a total of 84 litres used by just the one shower. Choosing a state-of-the-art shower that uses 10 litres a minute, or a recirculating shower that may use as little as 2.5 litres per minute, can reduce this total significantly. In addition, spending less time in the shower, say 4 minutes, can further reduce usage. A 4 minute shower using 10 litres per minute equates to only 40 litre, less than half of the 84 litres of the current typical shower and less than a third of the daily target of 125 litres per person.
“We urge our members, partners and supporters to work with us to help promote our message ‘USE THE LABEL – USE LESS’ – visit the UWLA website to find out how you can help – www.uwla.eu.”