Main navigation

Energy and carbon effects of water saving

Research report

Energy saving initiatives in the home must include measures to reduce hot water use if we are to meet our carbon dioxide emission reduction targets Quantifying the energy and carbon effects of saving water is a research project, run jointly with the Environment Agency, to help us understand the carbon emissions from water use at home and the potential for savings. We have produced a summary version of the report in addition to the full technical report.

Domestic water use in the UK is around 150 litres per person per day. Taking water from the environment, treating it, distributing it to households, using it in the home, collecting it when it has become sewage and then treating it before discharging it back into the environment are all processes requiring energy, and therefore result in CO2 emissions. In order to best focus policy on how to minimise CO2 emissions from this train of events, we need to understand which parts of this process are the most energy intensive.

The report confirms earlier work by the Environment Agency that established 6 per cent of the UK's annual greenhouse gas emissions relate to water use, including abstraction and wastewater treatment, and nearly 90 per cent of those emissions result from water use in the home.

Quantifying the energy and carbon effects of saving water - summary report

Quantifying the energy and carbon effects of saving water - full technical report

Page tools

  • Email this page

  • Rate this page

    Average rating: 5 - Great

Help & Advice

Call 0800 512 012 for free, independent and local energy saving advice

Register for updates & press releases

Sign-up here to receive our monthly e-newsletter or to receive press releases

Sign Up