How to reduce water bills

With households facing hefty water bills hikes in 2025, we explain the steps you can take to reduce your water bills.

Angela Kerr Director, Editor

How much are water bills going up in 2025?

Water bills in England and Wales will increase by an average of £123 this year. This is even more than the average increase of £86 suggested at the start of 2025 by industry regulator Ofwat. The price hike for millions of customers from 1 April will take the annual average bill from £480 to £603. And more, although thankfully smaller, increases are slated in for the following four years. Although the exact amount your bills will increase by depends on where you live.

Unfortunately, you cannot choose your water supplier so you can’t shop around for a better deal like you can with energy bills where you can switch energy suppliers to save cash. But there are ways you can reduce water bills – read on to find out how.

Use our tool powered by The Energy Shop to compare energy suppliers to see what deals are available.

Steps to reduce your water bill

1. Consider fitting a water meter

The majority of water bills are dependent on ‘rates’. This means you pay a set monthly amount that is dependent on the value of your home, and is the same regardless of how much water you use. If you don’t have a water meter, you may want to consider getting one.

Advantages of metered billing:

• You pay only for the amount of water you actually use
• If you then cut the amount you use, you can cut your bills. Getting a meter often encourages people to start conserving water
• Meters are fitted free of charge by water companies. If you do end up paying more, you can normally switch back to rates within 12 months

Disadvantages of metered billing

• Costs could increase sharply for households that use high amounts of water, such as big families
• If your bills fluctuate it can make budgeting harder.

How can I find out if a water meter can help reduce my water bills?

As a general rule of thumb, if there are more bedrooms than people in your household having a meter will typically work out cheaper than rates. For example, if your kids have left home and you have spare bedrooms. For more detailed information on how much you’d pay on water bills if you have a meter installed use the Consumer Council for Water’s calculator.

KEY INFORMATION

How to switch to a water meter

Here’s how the process of switching to a water meter works:

• If it’s not possible to fit a water meter, you’ll pay an assessed charge instead based on an estimate of the bill you would pay if a meter was fitted.
• Contact your water company and ask them to install a free water meter. However, if you rent, it’s best to ask your landlord’s permission first, and you must ask if your contract is under six months.
• Once your water meter is fitted, you’ll normally have a year to change your mind if your water bills are higher. Your water company won’t take the meter away but they’ll change how you’re billed.

2. Fix leaks quickly

A dripping tap can waste up to 5,500 litres of water a year, according to Thames Water. So if you’ve got leaking taps, pipes, or toilets, fix them promptly to avoid wasting water. And check if you’ve got any leaks you can’t see by turning off all the taps and then watching the water meter. If it’s ticking upwards you’ve got a leak.

3. Upgrade to water-saving devices

• Change your shower head. Energy efficient shower heads are designed to reduce water use without sacrificing pressure, saving both water and energy. If a typical family replace their inefficient shower head with a water efficient one, they could reduce their combined heating and water bills by around £60 a year in Great Britain, according to Energy Saving Trust.
• Get a cistern displacement device: These sit in your toilet cistern and when you flush, the device inflates, which saves around 1-2 litres of water each time you flush.
• Tap aerators: These inexpensive devices mix air with water, reducing flow but maintaining pressure.

4. Adopt Water-Efficient Habits

• Ban baths: Have a quick shower rather than a bath. The average bath uses 80 litres of water, while an average shower only uses 35 litres.
• Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth – this could save up to 12 litres of water each time you brush. Also, use a bowl to wash up rather than a running tap. You only need to run a typical tap for 95 seconds before you would have filled a washing up bowl.
• Use appliances efficiently. Make sure that dishwashers and washing machines are full before you use them, and ensure you regularly use the most efficient water and energy settings.

5. Collect rainwater

Fitting a water butt to collect rainwater is a great way to reduce mains water usage for gardening and outdoor cleaning. According to Waterwise, this can save up to 5,000 litres annually.

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Water Bill Discounts and Support

1. Discounts on water bill for disabled people, certain medical conditions & large families

If you receive certain benefits and need to use a high amount of water, you might qualify for the WaterSure scheme, which caps your water metered bill, if you have:

• a certain medical condition, or
• three or more children aged under 19 in full time education.

Contact your water company to check and apply.

2. Water bill discount for low income households

Many water companies offer social tariffs for customers on low incomes, offering a discount off your water bill or a capped annual bill. Some water companies will let you apply if you earn less than a certain amount while others need you to be claiming certain benefits. Contact your water supplier to find out if you qualify.

3. Water bill discount for single occupancy

If you live by yourself you may be able to reduce water bills by getting a water meter fitted. If you request a water meter but your water company can’t fit one, they must give you the choice to switch to a fixed single occupier tariff.

Frequently Asked Questions

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