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Help save water
Rainfall in East Cambridgeshire
East Anglian is the driest region in the UK, with East Cambridgeshire typically receiving only around 700mm of rain a year. Many other parts of the country typically receive over 1000mm.
Perhaps surprisingly, in East Cambridgeshire such rain is evenly spread throughout the year, and perhaps even more surprising is that March is the driest month and June is the wettest. On average, in East Cambridgeshire, we get more rain in summer months than in winter months.
However, long periods without any rain in East Cambridgeshire can happen at any time of year, and we perhaps notice it more in summer when the grass starts to turn golden and our garden plants are in need regular watering.
Being such a dry area means it is important we all should use water as efficiently as possible, especially with climate change bringing further uncertainties on weather patterns. The ambitious growth plans for Cambridgeshire also puts increasing pressure on fresh water supplies.
Reducing your water use
There are lots of simple and easy ways you can save water at home and in the garden.
Our top ten tips are:
- get a water metre (see information on this page)
- spend less time in the shower
- avoid fitting a power shower; or at the very least use it sparingly
- make sure you know how to use the low and high flush options on your toilet; or fit a low/high flush mechanism if you don’t already have one
- get a water butt to collect rainwater
- avoid sprinklers and hosepipes in the garden and only use watering cans so you know how much you are using
- use full loads for your washing machine and dishwasher
- only wash clothes when they need washing
- find and fix any leaks in your home (smart metres help do this)
- use water saving devices, such a tap aerator
Anglian Water has a ways to save water website page which includes water saving tips and advice for the bathroom, garden and kitchen.
Save Water Save Money
The average water bill for a four person household in the Anglian Water area will exceed £1,000 [external link] for the first time in 2026/27. Saving water can therefore save a lot of money, though only if you are on a water meter.
The vast majority of people in East Cambridgeshire are now on a water meter, but if you are presently not, and would like to be on a meter, then contact Anglian Water.
Double money saving opportunity
Whilst reducing all water use will save you money off your water bill, reducing hot water use will save you even more.
For example, a typical 10 minute shower might consume 10 to 25 pence of water for each use, but could cost a further 20 to 70p in energy costs, especially if it is an electric shower or power shower. Reducing the length of time in a shower by a third can therefore save you a third in cost. Over a year, that can really add up.
Other ways to reduce hot water use include:
- having a slightly less deep bath; or, if fitting a new bathroom, chose a smaller bath.
- not overfilling the kettle or pans with water
- fit aerators to the hot water taps
Smart Meters
Even better than a standard water meter is a smart water meter. Once you have a smart water meter and you register for an online account at Anglian Water you will be able to keep track by hour, day and month how much water you are using.
A smart meter account is an excellent way to track whether you have any leaks because it will identify unexpected water usage, such as water being consumed in the middle of the night.
A smart meter will also identify hours or days where you are using a lot of water, perhaps because you used a hosepipe or did a lot of washing. By learning what uses a high amount of water is more likely to enable you to reduce water use. And reducing water can save you a lot of money!
Water butts
Water butts are a great option to reduce your water consumption and save you money if you are a keen gardener.
Typical domestic water butts range from 100-250litres. That means each time your water butt is filled up and used to water the garden, you will save around 30-75pence off your water bill.
Installing water butts also has surprising other benefits:
- the water collected in your water butt is much healthier for your plants than standard treated tap water
- water butts can help slow surface water flooding in summer down pours
For more information on how to install a water butt and the wider benefits for your garden plants, then the RHS website is a good starting point.
Help bring back nature to East Cambridgeshire
Reducing water consumption can have a massive benefit for our natural environment.
Much of the water supplies in the Anglian Water area come from ground water sources (using boreholes), with several such boreholes located in East Cambridgeshire.
The more water we use, the more pressure there is to source water from the local boreholes, and this risks more harm being done to our rivers and wetlands.
In East Cambridgeshire we are lucky to be home to chalk streams which are worldwide an incredibly rare type of stream and are rich in biodiversity. But the more water we extract from the ground places greater risk on those streams running low (or even drying up), causing devastation to these precious natural environments.
By reducing water use, you will be doing your bit to help the local natural environment, help keep our streams and rivers flowing and help in our broad campaign to Bring Back Nature to East Cambridgeshire.
What we are doing to help
East Cambridgeshire District Council is committed to reducing its own water consumption. Not only will this help protect the local environment, but will also save costs and help keep our council tax rates frozen for even longer.
To see how we are saving water, please visit reducing our own water use.