Throwing the baby out with the bath water

With sunnier and drier weather expected over the coming months and yet more warnings of a water shortage in southern England homeowners are being urged to save water.

I don't think anyone can beat my mate Tony who uses his bath water on the garden plants but here are a Top 5 water saving tips from B&Q;

1 - Install a water butt or underground storage tank to collect rainwater for use in the garden - it could save 2,800 litres of water, more than enough for gardens in the summer

2 - Think before you flush. Do not use the toilet as a dustbin - each flush can be as much as 11 litres

3 - Try washing vegetables in a bowl, rather than under a tap. Putting a lid on a saucepan will also mean you need to use less water when boiling vegetables

4 - Save hassle as well as water by plugging leaks and fixing drips - a dripping tap can waste 20 litres of water a day

5 - Keep a bottle of tap water in the fridge - running the tap until it is cold wastes five litres of water a time.