Unlocking water efficiency for consumers

New research by Tom Reynolds, chief executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, supports the concept of increasing water pressure to reduce water use.

What if I told you that turning up the water pressure could actually help UK households save water and energy? Yeah, I know it sounds a bit weird at first, but there's some solid science behind it that you need to hear about.

Okay, so picture this: you're in the shower, trying to get all the shampoo out of your hair, but the water's just trickling out. Frustrating, right? Well, in places where the water pressure is low, this happens a lot. And guess what? When people have to stand there longer to rinse off, they end up using more water and energy without even realizing it.

So, here's the deal: we need to up the minimum water pressure in homes to fix this. You see, fancy new shower gadgets and super-efficient showerheads work best when the pressure is between 2 to 3 bar. But in lots of houses with lousy water pressure, these cool gadgets don't work as well as they should.

Now, why should we care about water pressure? Well, a recent study from the University of Surrey found that when water pressure goes up, people use less water – like, up to 60% less! And get this: even when the flow of water stays the same, people still use less water if the pressure is higher. So, it's like there's this direct link between water pressure and how much water we use.

Imagine this: in the UK, we spend loads of money every year just heating up water for showers. But if we crank up the water pressure, we could save a ton of energy and help the environment at the same time. It's like hitting two birds with one stone!

But it's not just up to plumbers and installers to spread the word about the importance of water pressure and fitting the right stuff. Designers need to get in on it too. With all the research backing up the need for higher pressure, they can push for better solutions and help us reach the government's goals for using less water.

So, here's the bottom line: by bumping up the minimum water pressure, we can save a bunch of water and energy at home. It's time for everyone in the bathroom biz to team up and make sure water pressure gets the attention it deserves. Otherwise, we'll just keep wasting water and energy, and nobody wants that.