Water through a home

Where household water actually goes. Toilets, showers and washing are the bulk of it, and almost all of it returns to the sewer within seconds of use.

Withdrawal versus consumption: Almost all indoor household water returns to the catchment through the sewer. Garden watering is the main genuinely consumptive household use.
Where savings actually are: Showers and toilets dominate. A shorter shower and an efficient toilet outperform every other household measure by a wide margin.
Supply pipe leaks: A leak on the customer-side pipe runs continuously and is invisible. It is a common cause of unexplained high metered bills.

Percentages are typical of UK metered households and vary substantially with household size, garden and occupancy.

Text description

Mains water enters a property through a service pipe and a meter, then divides between cold outlets, a hot water system, and appliances. Uses are toilet flushing, showering and bathing, washing machines, dishwashers, kitchen taps and outdoor use. All indoor uses drain to the foul sewer and return to the wastewater works. Only outdoor and garden use is genuinely consumed.