How Much Water Does The Average House Use?

Are you curious about the average household’s water usage? Washing your hands, cleaning the dishes and having a well-deserved soak in the bath – these daily activities all contribute to your individual water usage, but most of us haven’t stopped to think about our household water usage.

According to Water UK, 46% of people believe their household only uses under 20 litres of water a day when, in reality, the average person uses around 142 litres. That means a family of four will use around 500 litres of water every single day!

Without knowing, our daily habits start to add up which can result in a large monthly bill, especially when there are multiple people living under one roof. Read on to find out how much water the average household actually uses, the average UK water bill and what you can do to cut your costs.

An average UK household’s water usage

The average UK household water usage will vary depending on the number of people living within the property.

Let’s take a look at the average yearly water use in cubic metres (m3), taking into account the number of people in the home. For reference, one cubic metre is equal to 1,000 litres, so you can see how quickly your water usage adds up over a year.

• One person: 66
• Two people: 110
• Three people: 136
• Four people: 165
• Five people: 182
• Six people: 200

That’s a lot of water, but how does it all add up? Well, a power shower uses 13 litres of water per minute, washing your hands with a running tap uses six litres per minute and every time you flush a modern toilet, that’s five litres of water used up in seconds (nine litres for older toilets).

How much is the average UK water bill?

The average water and sewage bills for 2020/21 were set to fall from £413.33 to £396.60, though this will depend on which company supplies your water.

How does that translate to average monthly water bill costs? For the year 2020/21, Thames Water explained that one bedroom households should be expecting an annual price of around £300 or £23 per month, whereas households with five or more individuals will be looking at £417 or £34.75 per month.

Of course, if you’re not monitoring your water usage and ensuring your household is as efficient as possible, this could lead to further charges.

Reduce your household’s water usage

No matter the size of your household, it remains true that we are using an unnecessary amount of water in our daily routines and there are small changes you can make to cut your costs and become more water efficient.

• Only turn your dishwasher or washing machine on when it is full
• Don’t leave your taps running while you are brushing your teeth or washing your hands
• Shower more efficiently by reducing the amount of time you spend during your daily clean
• Try to shower more rather than taking a bath, which uses up to 80 litres of water
• Cup of tea? Only boil as much water as you need, rather than a full kettle every time

Finally, consider using a water softener. By removing hard minerals and residue from the water, you’ll prevent limescale build up which can cause blockages, damage and leaks to your pipes and, ultimately, wasted water. Your glassware will also be mark-free, which will stop you from having to rewash cloudy glasses to get them sparkling clean!

Click to find out more about our water softeners and get in touch today!