Save Water, Save Energy - How Businesses Can Cut Energy Bills
The average family home can save as much as 1,274 litres of water per month by fitting a water saving aerator to their kitchen and bathroom taps according to United Utilities. With the current cost of water at £3.08* per cubic metre this represents a saving of £3.92 per month and £47.08 per year. The outlay for 2 aerators is approximately £10.
Commercial properties can make huge savings as they are likely to have 10s, 100s, or even 1000s of taps in one building. Along with saving water there is the added benefit of saving on heating costs due to the reduced amount of water consumption. The below table shows potential water and heating savings* (with the assumption that half the water will be heated) dependent on how many aerators are installed.
Tap aerators, which are also known as flow regulators, save water whilst not compromising the water pressure. The aerator is the small attachment that fits onto the end of the tap spout. Aerators control the amount of water that flows through the tap as they mix the water with air. The aerator acts like a sieve, separating a single flow of water into many tiny streams which introduces the air into the water flow. There is less space for the water to flow through, so water flow is reduced, resulting in water savings. As water pressure is maintained, most people don’t notice a difference in the amount of water coming out of an aerated tap yet benefit from the water savings.
Water saving aerators can be installed on most taps however the biggest water saving benefit is achieved in bathrooms or kitchens where you are often turning the taps on and off to wash your hands. These aerators can save as much as half your water usage through this way. When you are using aerated water, you are unlikely to notice the difference except for saving water resulting in lower bills. Estimates are that 2 aerators can save up to 1,274 litres of water a month and when you save water, you will use less energy to heat it and save money on these bills also.
Best of all, you can install water saving aerators yourself. They are cheap and easy to fix. To replace an aerator, just unscrew the old one and put the new one in. To determine which type you require you just need to check whether the threads are on the inside, you need a male aerator and if the threads are on the outside, you need a female aerator. The range of aerators stocked at Lime Kitchen and Bathroom fit both female and male housings and can be located by clicking here Eco Water Savers | Water saving bathroom fittings.
* correct at time of writing