South East Rivers Trust supports Let’s Save Water campaign

Water is precious. Every litre we use comes from the natural environment, including rivers, reservoirs and underground water sources.

That is why the South East Rivers Trust is supporting Let’s Save Water, a national campaign helping people make small, practical changes to reduce their water use.

In many parts of England, we are using water faster than nature can replace it. Climate change is bringing warmer, drier summers and heavier winter rainfall, which can make it harder for rivers, groundwater and reservoirs to recover.

Taking too much water from the environment can place additional pressure on river habitats and the wildlife that depends on them. Using water wisely throughout the year helps leave more in the environment while strengthening our resilience to dry weather and drought.

The Let’s Save Water campaign aims to make responsible water use part of everyday life. It is an evidence-led behaviour-change campaign supported by water companies and regulators and is planned to continue until March 2030.

Small changes add up

The average person in England uses almost 140 litres of water every day, although many of us believe we use much less.

The campaign highlights simple actions that can make a meaningful difference:

• Cut your shower by two minutes to save around 28 litres.
• Use a washing-up bowl instead of leaving the tap running.
• Check for leaking taps and toilets. A leaking toilet can waste up to 400 litres a day.
• Use the eco setting on washing machines and dishwashers.
• Only run appliances when they contain a full load.

Saving water is not only important during hot weather. Making these actions part of our routines throughout the year helps protect supplies and reduce pressure on the natural environment.

Protecting rivers is a shared responsibility

Water companies have an essential responsibility to tackle leakage, invest in infrastructure and manage water resources sustainably. Alongside that investment, the choices made by households, workplaces and organisations can collectively make a significant difference.

At the South East Rivers Trust, we work across the South East to help rivers thrive again for communities and nature. This includes restoring natural habitats, improving the way water moves through landscapes and helping catchments become more resilient to floods and droughts.

Supporting Let’s Save Water complements this work by helping more people understand the link between the water flowing from their taps and the health of their local rivers.

No single action will resolve the pressures facing our water environment. But when people, businesses, government, regulators and water companies all play their part, positive change adds up.