How to save water at home while the drought goes on

With 11 areas of England in drought, including the area around Birmingham, the Environment Agency is asking everyone to "use a little less water" to help rivers and reservoirs recover.

Reservoir storage across England is well below normal for the time of year, and the agency says sustained wet weather will be needed through the autumn and winter before supplies return to normal. Using less water also cuts bills for households on a meter, and saves the energy used to heat it.

In the bathroom

• Take shorter showers. Cutting a shower by a minute or two saves a significant amount of water and energy over a year.
• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving. A running tap uses several litres of water a minute.
• Fix dripping taps and leaking toilets. A toilet that keeps running after flushing can waste a large amount of water every day without anyone noticing.
• If you have a dual-flush toilet, use the smaller flush where you can.

In the kitchen

• Only run the dishwasher and washing machine when they are full.
• Keep a jug of tap water in the fridge, rather than running the tap until it is cold.
• Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl rather than under a running tap, and use the water on plants afterwards.

In the garden

• Fit a water butt to collect rain from gutters. Autumn and winter are a good time to fill it for next year.
• Water plants in the early morning or evening, when less is lost to evaporation, and use a watering can rather than a hose or sprinkler.
• Let lawns go brown in dry spells: grass usually recovers quickly when rain returns.
• Use mulch around plants to keep moisture in the soil.

Help from your water company

Severn Trent, which supplies most of Birmingham, offers free water-saving devices such as shower timers and tap aerators to customers, and can help households check whether a water meter would save them money. Customers struggling with bills can ask about payment plans and social tariffs.

Report leaks

Leaks from water mains and pipes in the street waste huge amounts of water. If you see water bubbling up from a road or pavement, report it to Severn Trent so it can be fixed quickly. Water companies are under pressure from the Government and regulators to cut leakage, and the Environment Agency says fixing leaks is one of the most important things they can do during a drought.

Why it matters for wildlife

Low river flows reduce oxygen in the water and concentrate pollution, putting fish and other wildlife under stress. Using less water at home helps leave more in rivers and streams, which matters for the health of Birmingham's rivers and canals as much as for the reservoirs.