Help conserve water by looking at your loo!

That’s enough water to supply 2.8 million people; enough water for the population of Belfast, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Sheffield and Cardiff combined.

This figure will increase without action. To help make sure there is enough water to go around, we need to save it where we can, which is why it is so important to fix leaking toilets.

Leakage is a top priority for every water company and for every consumer with a desire to do their bit for environmental conservation. Loss of water through leaks happens in many ways but the one probably closest to you right now, is from your loo.

Leaky loos have become a more significant problem recently due to a number of factors; the change in design of toilets to dual flush, along with more households replacing their water systems to mains-fed bathrooms.

John Mulgrave, Water Regulations Field Manager at NI Water says: “1 in 20 households have a leaky loo and yet they often go unnoticed. The leak could look minimal, and some people may even think this is a design feature to keep the toilet bowl fresh.

“The worst of leaking toilets can waste up to 8,000 litres a day – which is equivalent to 100 bath tubs a day. It’s easy enough to check if you have a leak and if you do, it’s easy to repair.”

Would you be able to tell if your toilet is leaking?

Here’s how:

If you can hear a flow of water when the toilet hasn’t been flushed or can see a slight but constant trickle at the back of the toilet pan, you may have a leaky loo.

Wait until 30 minutes after the last flush, then wipe the back of the pan dry with toilet tissue.

- Place a new, dry sheet of toilet tissue across the back of the pan. 

- Leave it in place for up to three hours without using the toilet (it might be best to do this overnight).

- If the paper is wet or torn in the morning, you know you have a leaky loo.

If you would like to save water in the loo, NI Water is offering free leaky loo strips. Just type in your postcode at the link https://www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk/northernireland/free-water-saving-products.

If you are a school or business and would like strips for several toilets, please email [email protected] There’s a limited supply, so it’s first come first serve.

Fixing a leaking toilet is pretty straightforward for a plumber; adjusting or replacing the parts inside a cistern will cost around £10. Make sure the parts are compliant with the water fittings regulations. To do this, and to search for a plumbing business near you go to www.watersafe.org.uk.

There are other simple things you can do around the home to save water.

Tips for House

- Make full use of your washing machine - Half load programmes on washing machines use more than half the water and energy of a full load, so wait until the machine is full before switching it on.

- Take shorter showers - Why not challenge yourself and your family to shower one minute quicker? In a year you could save up to 10,000 litres of water!

Take a shower instead of a bath - One bath can use up to 100 litres of water, whereas an efficient shower uses under 50 litres. But remember power showers can use more water than baths.

- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth - A running tap can use 6 litres of water per minute.

- Car washing - Avoid washing cars and vans frequently, use a bucket and sponge

NI Water are encouraging customers to sign up to its free text alert service which keeps them updated about anything that may impact on their water supply or any of our other services in the area. Sign up at https://www.niwater.com/register-for-keeping-you-informed/