Over the next year the newly launched Save Water Swindon is hoping to persuade residents to reduce water use by at least 20 litres per day.

At present water use in the town is 164 litres per person per day (lppd) - significantly higher than the national average of 148 lppd, and a long way off the government’s target of 130 litres per day.

The Environment Agency has deemed the Swindon area as ‘water stressed,’ meaning that there is more human demand for water than nature can sustain. This high level of use comes at a cost to homeowners and the environment, with pumping, treating and heating water producing 6 per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gases - more than the aviation industry.

Save Water Swindon estimates that by saving 20 litres of water per person per day, an average home can reduce its energy bills by £100 a year. Campaign ambassador Kevin McCloud said, “Save Water Swindon is an ambitious campaign that will set a precedent for how large-scale water efficiency in existing homes can be achieved – with benefits for homeowners and the environment. Water is a scarce resource and takes a huge amount of energy to process.”

Swindon Council cabinet member of sustainability Peter Greenhalgh added, “this is the first time a whole town is being involved in a water reduction campaign. Small changes in the home can make this campaign successful; where Swindon leads the rest of Britain can follow.”

Ben and Fay Billingham from Woodhall Park volunteered to be Save Water pioneers. “We already have a meter and this is a good incentive to reduce the cost of using water,” said Fay. “ We’ll be taking showers, not baths, keeping a jug of water in the fridge and not run the tap, and we’re installing a water butt to collect rainwater.

“Our water use will be monitored monthly; I think we can save 20 litres a day each without a problem.“

Above, at the launch of Save Water Swindon on  17 June, Ben and Fay Billingham, with Ella and Molly with councillor Peter Greenhalgh. Below, the Billingham family demonstrating average daily household water use in Swindon, each colour representing the kitchen, bathroom and garden

Save Water Swindon, a partnership between Thames Water, WWF-UK and Waterwise, is running roadshows around the town and in Swindon’s libraries.
Later in the year the campaign will be offering home audits by a trained fitter who will be able to install water reduction devices for free.

Find out more and register for the campaign at www.savewaterswindon.org.uk
 

swindon, save water, water stress, save water swindon