This Water Saving Week, we’re highlighting the simple but powerful ways households, businesses and individuals can reduce water waste and in doing so, protect both our water sources and the wildlife that depends on them.
Most of us don’t think twice when we turn on the tap. Bathing, washing dishes, watering plants- the list is long and the water we need appears instantly at the turn of a tap.
But the reality of how it got there and where it came from is far more complicated. The water which flows from our taps comes from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, or underground aquifers. It is treated, pumped, and transported across miles of infrastructure before reaching our taps. At its starting point it often supports natural habitats, sustaining fish, plants and countless other species.
Therefore, every drop we take reduces the amount from these ecosystems. Overuse, such as long showers and leaving taps running, puts direct pressure on wildlife. These habitats suffer and ecosystems tip toward collapse. We are now at the point where conserving water is not just a personal responsibility; it is an ecological imperative. How we use water every day has measurable consequences for the natural world, making each decision at the tap part of a much larger story of survival and sustainability.
Why your water use matters
Household water use in the UK has risen more than 60% since the 1960s. With a growing population, we now consume over 5 billion litres more water each day – the equivalent of around 2,000 Olympic swimming pools. Even small actions have measurable impacts: if 10 households reduce their water use by 10%, over 50,000 litres of water can remain in the river annually. Reducing water waste also protects water quality, as excess water can carry pollutants from homes, roads, and businesses into rivers.
The Rivers Trust supports Water Saving week
This Water Saving Week, we’re proud to be supported by The Rivers Trust, who work tirelessly to preserve clean, healthy rivers and protect vital water habitats for future generations. Here’s what they have to say:
At The Rivers Trust, we are incredibly concerned about the low level of water in many of our rivers across the UK and Ireland. As noted above, our water consumption is only rising and is already higher than many of our European neighbours. Crucially, 68% of our water supply comes from rivers and surface sources, with a further 31% coming from groundwater reserves. Consequently, 15% of rivers and 27% of all groundwaters in England are over-abstracted.
This abstraction places a huge amount of pressure on freshwater environments. With industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, energy production, and construction using vast quantities of water, alongside domestic activities, it is estimated that if we continue at our current rate, we are just a decade away from demand exceeding supply. And climate change is only adding to this pressure. Droughts pose a particular threat to water levels, and we are seeing them become both more frequent and more intense.
In 2025, England experienced one of its driest springs in over a century and the driest January to June period in nearly 50 years. These conditions further reduce river flows and leave less time for our waterways to recover between dry spells. When combined with our heavy abstraction, our rivers are left with worryingly persistent low water levels, which comes with significant consequences for both the rivers themselves and the wildlife that depend on them.
Increased pollution
Unfortunately, our rivers contain a complex cocktail of pollutants. These include the headline-hitting issues such as sewage and algal blooms, as well as agricultural runoff, and the less visible threats such as persistent forever chemicals and microplastics. As water levels drop, there is less dilution, causing these pollutants to become more concentrated, often reaching levels that wildlife and plants cannot tolerate. And while pollution concentration increases, the oxygen levels in the water decreases, creating further stress for fish and other aquatic species.
Wildlife under pressure
Beyond the impacts of pollution and reduced oxygen levels, the low water levels themselves create a multitude of challenges for our aquatic wildlife.
Several of our most iconic and endangered river species, including the Atlantic salmon and European eel, undertake impressive migrations to complete their life cycles, relying on being able to move freely through our waterways. However, when water levels become too low, their migration routes can become blocked, greatly impacting their populations. For example, during a severe drought in 2022, salmon numbers migrating up the River Itchen fell significantly, from around 800 in 2018 to roughly 100, well below the level needed to sustain a healthy population.
But it’s not just the migratory species that struggle. During warmer weather fish will seek refuge in deep, cool pools to avoid heat stress. But as water levels drop, these refuges become scarce, leading to high levels of fish mortality. Additionally, the overall loss of habitat that accompanies low water levels and dry rivers affects the entire food chain. Less habitat (or lower quality of habitat) means fewer aquatic insects, which means less food for fish, which in turn impacts the birds and mammals that predate on them.
The solutions
Reduced water levels are a major and growing pressure on rivers, and addressing it requires action on multiple fronts. Crucially, we need to see large-scale changes that treat our water as the precious resource it is, managing it close to where it falls and valuing the vital role it plays in both our environment and economy.
Making use of nature-based solutions at a landscape-scale is an important way of achieving this. By restoring wetlands, improving soil health, creating riparian river corridors, and reconnecting rivers to their floodplains we can slow the movement of water, help the land store it more efficiently, and mitigate the impacts of both drought and flooding, all while improving water quality and supporting wildlife.
However, while systemic change and stronger regulation are essential, they take time and it is important to recognise the role we all have to play in protecting our rivers. It is easy to think that as individuals our efforts are but a tiny drop in the river but when multiplied across millions of homes, small changes add up to a meaningful impact.
Our homes and habits are intimately connected to our waterways, from the chemicals we wash down our drains to the quantity of water we use. Just as we try to reduce our carbon footprint, we must also look to lower our water footprint. Using less water lowers overall demand, directly reducing the amount we need to abstract from our rivers. Which means by picking a water-saving pledge and making small changes to our daily habits, we can all help maintain water levels in our rivers, support the wildlife that depends on them, and improve their resilience to climate change.
Learn more about The Rivers Trust, our work to fight for wild, healthy, natural rivers and how you can get involved, by signing up to their newsletter: Newsletter | The Rivers Trust
Take Action This Water Saving Week
* Pick a water-saving pledge, as little as one action per day can add up.
* Track water use at home or work and identify areas for improvement using the Waterwise water widget.
* Share your actions to inspire others.
* Keep momentum going by continuing simple water-saving habits.
It may sound repetitive in advice but the evidence is clear: small, consistent changes add up. They shape behaviour, shift how we value water and influence how we protect the natural world.
By acting now and sharing the message widely, we can help protect the environment, reduce energy use and secure water for both people and wildlife. Every drop counts because it is taken from rivers, lakes, and wetlands that are not just resources, but homes.
