It’s not only the amount of water we use that matters but what we put into it and how we dispose of it. Our used water (and any chemicals we add to it such as surfactants, bleaches, detergents and phosphates) goes into drains, then to rivers, and onwards into the sea.

You can save energy and water in the bathroom:

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  take a shower instead of a bath

  
  


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  spend a little less time on the shower

  
  


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  add a water filled plastic bottle or water saving device (available from your water supplier) to your toilet cistern, to reduce the amount of water flushed

  
  


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  next time you buy a new toilet, buy a dual flush model

  
  


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  fix spray head taps to your basin

  
  


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  turn off the tap when brushing your teeth

  
  


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  use old bathwater to water the garden

  
  


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  share a bath - it can be fun!

  
  

And think about the cleaning products you use in the bathroom -is your waste water polluting the environment?