Over the last few years environmental issues have become of vital importance to people around the world. As governments await the results of the United Nations summit on climate change taking place in Copenhagen, many have already launched schemes that aim to increase recycling and reduce waste. Governments have put pressure on local councils and individual households to find new and unique ways to increase the efficiency of homes and neighborhoods. Schemes like cash and voucher rewards for recyclers, or punishments for non-recyclers have been effective in raising recycling rates around the United Kingdom, but many think that there are a number of small changes that most households could make to become even more efficient.
One of these ways is to install water meters in homes across the United Kingdom. These meters could be installed in nearly ninety percent of homes in the United Kingdom and many think they are an easy way for homes to decrease the amount of water that they are wasting. The Environment Agency said that currently only about a third of home in the United Kingdom have water meters, but they would like to increase that amount to eighty percent over the next decade. Investigators also found that the practice of charging households for water based on their ratable value was outdated and needed to be changed for the United Kingdom to become truly efficient in its use of water.
The study also found that every individual in England and Wales uses nearly a tonne of water per week and that nearly half of domestic energy bills are spent on water used for dishes, clothes, and showers.
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