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• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth - a running tap wastes over 6 litres of water per minute. (At least a bucketfull everytime you brush!)

• About a quarter of all the clean, drinkable water we use in our homes is flushed down a toilet. If you're in the market for a new loo, consider buying a water efficient toilet or one with a dual flush. If your loo is still as good as new, put a hippo bag or other displacement device into the cistern to save some water.

• A dripping tap wastes at least 5,500 litres of water a year: that's enough water wasted to fill a paddling pool every week for the whole summer. If you have a meter mending your dripping tap washer could save you over £18 a year.

• Hand-washing dishes typically uses about 63 litres per session; if those dishes are rinsed off under a running tap the total water used averages 150 litres - in comparison, a modern dishwasher can use as little as 15 litres of water per cycle. But make sure you fill the dishwasher or you'll be wasting even more than if you were to wash up by hand.

• A bath can use up a lot of water (over 100 litres!), while a shower only uses a third of that amount. However, many power-showers can actually usemore  than a bath, especially if you enjoy a long shower. If you're the die-hard tub-type, you can minimise your water use by reusing your bathwater to water your houseplants or garden.

• By using a shower timer you can increase your awareness of the amount of time you spend in the shower. Try taking shorter showers to reduce the amount of water you use.

• Before starting your washing machine, wait for a full load-a full load uses less water than two half loads; so, you'll be able to save money on energy and water. And just like dishwashers, washing machines labelled 'A' on energy efficiency tend to be more water efficient.

• Fill a jug with tap water and leave it to cool in your fridge. That way you don't have to run the tap for ages just to get a cold drink.

• Check out where your main stop valve is and make sure that you can turn it on and off. If ever a pipe bursts, you'll know how to cut off the flow.

• Wash your fruits and veg in a bowl rather than under a running tap, you could cut down on water waste effortlessly. And as an added bonus, you can use the leftover water to feed your houseplants.

• Try to avoid flushing away cotton balls, make-up tissues, nappy wipes etc - throwing them in the bin will cut down on the amount of water that is wasted by every flush.

• We all love our gardens, but sprinklers can use as much as 1,000 litres of water per hour-that's more than a family of four can use in a whole day. Using your sprinkler early in the morning or late in the evening will mean less water will evaporate from your garden and more will get to the roots, where you actually want it to go.

• Your hosepipe can spew as much as 18 litres of water a minute. By using a watering can in your garden you can significantly reduce the amount of water wasted; or consider fitting it with a trigger gun to control the flow.

• Your roof collects about 85,000 litres of rain each year which then just runs straight into the sewers. This could fill 450 water butts with rainwater which could be used to water your garden, your houseplants or even wash your car!

• Rather than washing your car with a running hosepipe, try using a bucket and sponge instead. (Better still: fill the bucket up with water from the water butt). Just 30 minutes with a hosepipe will use more water than the average family uses in a day. And, using a bucket will give your car a much more precise wash.

• Giving your plants' roots a good soaking once or twice a week in dry weather is much better than lightly watering them every day because most of that water just evaporates away. Do remember, though, that new plantlings do need regular watering until they are established.